AIEREDOdi 

CARyAIUQ 


I 


https://archive.org/details/aroundaboutsouthOOvinc_0 


H.  M.  THE  EMPEROR  OF  BRAZIL. 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT 


SOUTH  AMERICA 


TWENTY  MONTHS  OF  QUEST  AND 


fio 


,** 


BY 

FRANK  VINCENT 


.’V 


AUTHOR  OP 

“the  land  of  the  white  elephant,”  “through  and  through  the  tropics,” 

“two  MONTHS  IN  BURMAH,”  “the  WONDERFUL  RUINS  OF  CAMBODIA,” 
“NORSK,  LAPP,  AND  FINN,”  “ IN  AND  OUT  OF  CENTRAL -AMERICA,11 


NEW  YORK 

D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY 
18  90' 


Copyright,  1890, 

By  D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY. 


TO 

H.  M.  DOM  PEDRO  II., 

EMPEROR  OF  BRAZIL, 

SCHOLAR  AND  SCIENTIST,  PATRON  OF  ARTS  AND  LETTERS, 

STERLING  STATESMAN  AND  MODEL  MONARCH, 

WHOSE  REIGN  OF  HALF  A CENTURY  HAS  BEEN  ZEALOUSLY  AND  SUCCESSFULLY 
DEVOTED  TO  PUBLIC  INSTRUCTION,  INDUSTRIAL  ENTERPRISE, 

AND  THE  ABOLITION  OF  SLAVERY  THROUGHOUT  THE  VAST  AND  OPULENT 
“EMPIRE  OF  THE  SOUTHERN  CROSS,” 

THIS  WORK  IS,  BY  SPECIAL  PERMISSION, 

MOST  RESPECTFULLY  DEDICATED 
BY  HIS  MAJESTY’S  HUMBLE  AND  OBEDIENT  SERVANT, 

THE  AUTHOR. 


£ iwa-vt/O 


mde> 


My  recent  journey  through  Soutl^^^erica  incl 

^>^a“ 

ports;  expeditions  into  the  interior  of  Brazil  and*  the  Ar- 
gentine Republic;  and  ascents  of  the  Parana,  Paraguay, 
Amazon,  Orinoco,  and  Magdalena  Rivers.  It  covered  about 
thirty-five  thousand  miles,  and  forced  me  to  realize  that 
our  great  southern  continent  contains  twice  the  area  and 
half  the  population  of  the  United  States. 

It  has  been  my  aim  and  aspiration  to  grasp  salient  feat- 
ures and  emphatic  characteristics,  and  to  delineate  them 
with  a careful  conciseness  that  shall  beget  a correct  and 
lively  general  impression. 

The  difficulty  of  carrying  out  this  design  within  so  com- 
paratively small  a space  will  at  once  be  perceived  by  the 
discriminating  reader,  and  will,  I hope,  induce  him  to 
extend  to  the  present  volume  the  same  leniency  which  both 
press  and  public  have  bestowed  upon  my  former  contribu- 
tions to  the  universal  and  ever  incomplete  library  of  travel, 
adventure,  and  discovery. 


Postscript. — The  unexpected  change  of  government  in 
Brazil,  which  has  just  occurred,  found  this  narrative  already 
in  type,  and  hence  it  is  published  as  originally  written. 
Nothing,  however,  has  been  asserted  of  the  Empire  which 


Vi  PREFACE. 

ought  to  be  revoked ; while  for  the  Republic  one  should 
not  vouch  until  time  and  trial  have  demonstrated  its  fit- 
ness and  stability. 

In  the  words  of  Dom  Pedro,  “ I shall  always  have  kindly 
remembrances  of  Brazil  and  hopes  for  its  prosperity.” 

F.  V. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Preface  v 

CHAPTER  I. 

OUTWARD  BOUND. 

The  Acapulco’s  lonely  voyage — San  Salvador  is  now  Watling  Island — Aspin- 
wall  Harbor  and  the  town  itself — The  French  town  of  Christophe 
Colomb — Fever,  filth,  and  flood — South  American  revolutions — How 
ringleaders  are  treated — Features  of  the  railway  to  Panama — M.  de 
Lesseps’s  interoceanic  canal — French  settlements  and  mammoth  excava- 
tions— Wages  of  laborers — The  canal  might  possibly  have  been  com- 
pleted in  the  year  2013 — Hacks  at  Panama — General  characteristics 
of  the  town — Matters  of  interest  to  the  archaeologist  and  architect — 
Cosmopolitan  population — Ici  l’on  parle  Franqais,  and  also  English — 

A newspaper  in  three  languages 1 

CHAPTER  II. 

ON  TO  GUAYAQUIL. 

Muskets  and  cutlasses  give  piratical  remedies — Panama  Railway  extortion 
paralleled — My  first  attempts  in  Spanish — They  fail  beyond  my  most 
sanguine  expectations — Reptiles  and  birds  in  the  Galapagos  Islands — 

Why  species  unknown  to  other  parts  of  the  world  exist  there — An 
Ecuadorian  Botany  Bay — Variation  upon  Alexander  Selkirk — Scenes 
in  the  Gulf  of  Guayaquil — Features  of  the  town  of  that  name — Sample- 
rooms  and  senoritas — Preparations  for  going  over  the  Andes  to  Quito 
— Advantage  of  taking  your  board  and  lodging  with  you — How  Guay- 
aquil fever  affects  one — Chimborazo  by  moonlight — Ecuador’s  only 
railway — Traversing  tropic  jungles  at  the  rate  of  ten  miles  an  hour — 
Forests  impenetrable  even  to  sight — Puerile  muleteers  and  gentle 
mules — Other  qualities  of  the  Ecuadorian  animal — Two  soups  for  din- 
ner— Lack  of  culinary  cleanliness 9 

CHAPTER  III. 

OVER  THE  CORDILLERA. 

The  seven  racial  varieties  in  South  America — Indian  population  of  Quito 
—Intense  cold  experienced  at  night — The  ruined  city  Latacunga — A 


Vlll 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

two  million  dollar  road — Shivering  on  the  equator — A diligence  drawn 
by  mules — Brutality  of  postilions — Volcanoes  along  the  route — The  ap- 
proach to  Quito — Complexions  and  costumes  there — Architectural 
traits — The  women  and  their  mantillas — Democracy  in  church  wor- 
ship— Army  uniform — Lucifer  in  state  presiding  over  the  tortures  of 
Avernus .19 

CHAPTER  IV. 

QUITO — PARADISE  OF  PRIESTS. 

System  of  the  Andes — Situation  of  Quito — Rectangular  arrangement  of 
the  streets — Climate — Peculiarities  of  the  cemeteries — The  penitentiary 
— Strange  manner  of  apportioning  justice — Ecuadorian  vicissitudes — 
Market  produce — Congressional  buildings— Monasteries  of  Quito — A 
paradise  for  priests,  a pandemonium  for  the  public — Religious  paint- 
ings— Effigies  of  the  virgin — Unique  furniture — America  unrepresented 
in  Quito — Foreigners  in  business — Place  they  hold  in  society — Apa- 
thetic natives — Importance  of  investing  in  real  estate — Hard  and  soft 
dollars — Depreciation  of  the  paper  money  of  Quito — No  foreign  phy- 
sicians there — Telegrams  paid  in  postage-stamps  . . . .28 

CHAPTER  V, 

BREAKFASTING  IN  AN  ACTIVE  VOLCANO. 

Quito’s  hospital — Lung  and  throat  troubles  prevalent — Lunatics  and  lepers 
— Educational  opportunities — Pichincha,  or  the  boiling  mountain — 
View  from  the  summit — Difference  between  the  Andes  and  the  Hima- 
layas— Brother  volcanoes  of  Pichincha — Detailed  description  of  it — 

A good  breakfast  is  not  less  good  inside  its  crater — Returning  to  Guay- 
aquil— Violence  of  tropical  rains — Bad  roads — Abruptness  of  the  land- 
scape changes — Plantations  alternate  with  jungles — Chicha,  guarapo, 
and  sugar-cane  juice  contrasted — Military  bands  at  Bodegas  . . 37 


CHAPTER  VI. 

COASTWISE  TO  CALLAO. 

Approach  to  Payta — Appearance  of  the  dilapidated  town — Rich  inland 
country — The  railway  to  Piura — The  coast  of  Peru  and  Bolivia — De- 
scription of  a balsa — A few  small  villages — Memories  of  In*as — Pacas- 
mayo — Samanc.o — Views  on  the  Pacasmayo — Comparison  with  Nor- 
wegian scenes — Casma  and  Supe — The  town  of  Huacho — Foreign 
merchants — Callao — Appearance  of  the  roadstead — Interior  of  the  city 
— English  and  American  railways — Lima — A national  anniversary — 
Lima  ladies — Horse-races — General  Iglcsias — General  Caceres — Rev- 
olutions smoldering  beneath  public  festivities  . . . . . 45 


CONTENTS. 


ix 


CHAPTER  VII. 

LIMA. 

PAGE 

The  famous  cathedral — General  appearance  of  this  celebrated  building — 

Its  interior — Poor  carvings  and  paintings — Pizarro’s  bones — View  of 
the  city  from  Cerro  de  San  Cristobal — Tram-cars  and  hackney-coaches 
— Roofs  and  balconies — Uninflammable  brick — The  fire-brigades — 
Houses  of  Congress — Statue  of  General  Bolivar — Hall  of  Senators — 

Hall  of  Deputies — Principal  market — National  Library — Column  of  the 
2d  of  May,  in  memory  of  the  Peruvians  who  fell  in  the  battle  of 
Callao  Bay  in  1866 — The  2d  of  May  hospital,  an  institution  any 
country  might  be  proud  of — The  Oroya  Railway — Revolutionary  com- 
plications— Circulating  mediums — The  mint — The  Esmeralda — Alame- 
da de  los  Descalzos — The  general  cemetery,  or  Panteon  . . .53 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

GLIMPSES  OF  THE  PERUVIANS. 

Lima’s  public  gardens — Pavilion  of  the  President — Promenade  ground  of 
the  Lima  belles — Residences  of  the  wealthy— Advantage  of  one-story 
houses — -Rich  and  luxurious  appointments — House-rent  and  cost  of 
furnishing — Mode  of  life — Foreign  education — Beauty  of  the  young 
girls — The  duenna — The  masking  mantilla — Senoritas  and  cigarettes — 
Female  culture — Depressing  climate — Typical  religious  procession — 
Social  amenities  of  the  saints — The  church-bell  nuisance — The  theatre 
in  Lima— Bull -Ring — Clubs — Ball-room  . . . . . 64 

CHAPTER  IX. 

RAILROADING  ABOVE  THE  CLOUDS. 

Mollendo — Its  uninviting  aspect — Railway  between  Mollendo  and  Arequipa 
— Places  by  the  way — Steepness  of  the  hills — Misti,  Charchani,  and 
Coropuna — The  sand-dunes — Bearding  Nature  in  her  fastnesses — Mr. 

J.  M.  Thorndike’s  residence  near  Arequipa — The  railway  headquarters — 

The  cathedral — Railway  companions — The  famous  Verrugas  bridge  on 
the  Oroya  Railway — Some  engineering  particulars — Ubinas — Llamas, 
alpacas,  and  vicunas — Paucity  of  inhabitants  between  Arequipa  and 
Puno — Mirage — Lakes  Saracocha  and  Cachipuscana — The  highest 
point  on  the  railway 72 

CHAPTER  X. 

THE  ACME  OF  STEAMER  NAVIGATION. 

A Peruvian  curiosity — The  Anonymous  Company  for  Exploration  of  the  Inca 
Sepulchres — Lake  Titicaca — Remains  of  the  naturalist  James  Orton — 
Copacabana — Sorata,  Huani  Potosi,  Illimani — The  Andes  east  of  Lake 
Titicaca — The  port  of  Chililaya — The  journey  to  La  Paz — Abundance 


X 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

of  sheep  and  cattle — Situation  of  La  Paz — The  Grand  Plaza — Native 
passion  for  gambling — Parisian  costumes  in  vogue — Hall  of  Deputies — 
Incipient  cathedral  of  the  Greek  order  of  architecture — Troops  in  La 
Paz — Constant  exercise  and  discipline 81 

CHAPTER  XI. 

LA  PAZ — THE  QUAINT. 

Population — View  of  the  city  from  an  adjacent  bluff — Stage-road  and  mule- 
trails — Kerosene-lamps — Absence  of  sidewalks — Scarcity  of  wood — Po- 
sition of  the  Alameda — Suggestion  with  respect  to  statues — Bustling 
streets — A large  market— Great  display  of  vegetables  and  fruit — “ Yan- 
kee notions  ” in  full  force — Flower-women — Mode  of  contracting  for 
bouquets — Hotels — Senor  Manuel  Vicente  Ballivian — Thirty-five  hun- 
dred books  and  pamphlets  all  about  Bolivia — “ Barba  Azul  ” at  the 
theatre — Style  of  dress  at  the  opera — Newspapers  well  represented — 

The  Banco  Nacional — Trade  with  Europe — Product  of  the  silver-mines 
— Those  of  Potosi  still  fertile  ........  89 

CHAPTER  XII. 

VOYAGING  TO  VALPARAISO. 

Environs  of  La  Paz — Bare  feet  of  the  women — Native  music  and  dances — 

A scene  of  general  ebriety — Gambling  very  popular — A pathetic  in- 
stance of  intoxication — The  Aymaras — Dr.  H.  H.  Rusby — From  Mol- 
lendo  to  Valparaiso — Arica — Pisagua — Iquique — Tocopilla — Cobija — 
Autofagasta — Caldera — Coquimbo — V alparaiso  as  seen  from  the  sea — 

The  harbor — Statue  of  Lord  Cochrane — Female  conductors  on  the  tram- 
cars — Juan  Fernandez — A pleasure-trip  there — Robinson  Crusoe’s 
look-out — Commemoration  tablet  .......  98 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  CAPITAL  OF  CHILI. 

The  railway  to  Santiago — Vino  del  Mar — Cerro  de  Santa  Lucia — Benjamin 
Vicuna  Mackenna — Plaza  Independencia — The  Capitol — Monument  in 
memory  of  the  holocaust  at  the  Jesuits’  church — Botanical  and  Zoolog- 
ical Gardens — Large  foreign  element  in  Santiago — Sworded  policemen 
— En  route  for  Montevideo — The  overland  routes  from  Chili  to  the  Ar- 
gentine Republic — Snow-houses — Proposed  Uspallata  railway — Status 
of  Chili — Her  revenues  and  foreign  trade — Matched  against  Peru — 
Leaving  Valparaiso — Aconcagua  as  seen  from  the  harbor  . . . 107 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

FIORD  AND  FUEGIAN. 

Lota — Scnora  Cousino,  the  wealthiest  woman  in  Chili — Labor  omnia  vincit 
— The  “ Countess  of  Monte  Cristo  ” — She  is  worth  hundreds  of  millions 


CONTENTS. 


xi 


PAGE 

of  dollars — Chiloe — The  Chonos  Archipelago — Wellington  Island — 
Messier  Channel — Surrounding  scenery — Mount  Stokes — Fantastic 
Chilian  mountains — How  they  contrast  with  others — Chilian  bays  and 
inlets — The  Fuegians — They  are  by  no  means  a beautiful  or  attract- 
ive race — Their  favorite  mode  of  barter — Their  tastes  in  general — 
Could  their  children  become  civilized  ? 117 

CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  GLOBE’S  SOUTHERNMOST  TOWN. 

Melancholy  localities — The  Strait  of  Magellan — Cape  Froward  and  Cape 
Horn — Neighboring  mountains— Punta  Arenas — Its  products  and  popu- 
lation— Strange  vicissitudes  that  make  people  drift  there — Ostrich 
rugs — Contrast  between  the  western  and  the  eastern  half  of  the  Strait 
of  Magellan — False  impressions  about  Terra  del  Fuego — Its  climate 
less  rigorous  than  Canada’s — The  Yahgans  and  the  Onas — Contrast  of 
the  two  tribes — The  Falkland  Islands — Cape  Pembroke — Stanley  Har- 
bor— Appearance  of  the  settlement — Alfred  the  Little— 0 Snobbery, 
how  many  absurdities  are  committed  for  thy  sake ! . . . .127 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE  FORLORN  FALKLANDS. 

Consuls  and  vice-consuls  at  Stanley — Execrable  climate — Sunday  is  kept 
there  with  true  British  rigidity — The  Falkland  group — Good  harbors 
abound — Cattle  and  products — Laf one’s  negotiations — John  Davis — 

De  Bougainville — Beginning  a lonely  voyage — Patagonia  not  so  utterly 
dreary  as  supposed — Soil  and  population — Difference  between  the 
Fuegians  and  the  Patagonians — The  ostrich  and  the  rhea — Ostrich 
rugs  cheap  there — Ostrich-culture  needed — Pumas  and  condors — The 
Argentine  Government  paying  increased  attention  to  Patagonia — A 
railroad  from  .Bahia  Blanca  to  San  Luis  in  contemplation  . . .136 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

MONTEVIDEO THE  ATTRACTIVE. 

The  Parana  and  the  Rio  de  la  Plata — Bay  of  Montevideo — El  Cerro — The 
city  of  Montevideo — Its  position — Gunboats  of  many  nationalities — 
Architectural  aspect  of  the  town — Large  foreign  element — The  cathe- 
dral clock — Grand  plaza — Government  Building — Paso  Molino — 
Basque  music — The  opera-house — Ocular  flirtation — Feminine  street 
fashions — General  Santos — Uruguayan  soldiers — Peculiarity  of  their 
uniform — Strange  method  of  making  recruits — Do  prisons  create  pa- 
triots?   ....  143 


Xll 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


THE  METROPOLIS  OF  THE  RIVER  PLATE. 


PAGE 


On  to  Buenos  Ayres — The  “ Norte  ” and  the  “ Pampero  ” — Queer  river-craft 
— The  city  of  Buenos  Ayres — Streets  and  sidewalks — North  American 
names — Parisian  splendor  of  shops — The  Exchange — Cosmopolitan 
characteristics — Plaza  de  la  Victoria — Statue  of  General  San  Martin — 
Municipal  buildings — The  Recoleta — Mural  burial  not  used — Handsome 
villas — Banks — Theatres — The  Politeano  Argentino — The  city  of  La 
Plata — Public  buildings  there — Pampas — Importation  of  reapers-*- 
Inexpensive  railways — Level  nature  of  the  country  . . . .151 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


TOWARD  THE  HEART  OF  THE  CONTINENT. 

A wonderful  rocking-stone — Similar  ones  nearer  home — Glacial  action 
places  them — Matto-Grosso — Prevailing  style  of  river-vessel — Rosario 
— Parana— Goya — Gran  Chaco — The  camelotes — Alligators  and  car- 
pinchos — Asuncion — Effects  of  the  war — Palace  of  Lopez — Hotel  His- 
pano- Americano — How  the  city  is  laid  out — Medieevo-Oriental  aspect 
— The  women  outnumber  the  men— The  town-hall — Custom-house — 
Unfinished  opera-house — Cathedral — Absence  of  male  worshipers — A 
solitary  monument 159 


CHAPTER  XX. 

A COUNTRY  OF  WOMEN. 


Preponderance  of  market-women — Great  variety  of  produce — Buyers  carry 
home  their  purchases — Dress  of  women — Handsome  girls  and  ugly 
hags — Smoking  universal — Indian  blood  among  Paraguayans — The 
currency — Salient  features  of  the  cemetery — Genuine  grief  and  per- 
functory praying — The  town  of  Paraguari — Its  situation — Its  means 
of  communication  with  other  places — Proposed  route — Orange-women 
— Corrientes — It  is  not  without  a statue  to  Liberty — Biblioteca  popu- 
lar— Indisputable  evidences  of  civilization 167 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

ON  THE  TRAIL  OF  THE  JESUITS. 

Difficult  voyaging — Banks  of  the  upper  Parana — Procrastination  of  the 
natives — A coach  like  the  Swiss  diligence  universally  used  in  these 
parts — Character  of  the  landscape — The  Gaucho — Between  Itusaingo 
and  Posadas — Songless  birds — Posadas — Encarnacion — It  is  a street 
rather  than  a town — The  reducciones — Abdon  Ahumada — Incidents  of 
travel — Swarms  of  butterflies — Hard  life  for  civilized  travellers — Primi- 
tive bathing-house — Ingenuous  natives — Scantiness  of  female  costume 


CONTENTS, : 


xnx 


PAGE 

— Every  kind  of  ornamentation  popular — Why  do  mosquitoes  exist? — 

The  river  Iguassu — Senor  Adam’s  garden — Qualities  of  the  Parana  . 1*76 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE  NIAGARA  OE  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

The  mouth  of  the  Iguassu — Making  up  a party  for  the  falls — Wild  animals 
along  the  shore — The  Tupi  Indians — Plague  of  insects — Jerked  beef 
good  for  the  hungry — Pursuing  sleep  under  difficulties — We  begin  the 
hard  part  of  our  journey — Rock-climbing  at  115°  Fahr. — Bearding  the 
jaguar  in  his  den — The  carrapato,  the  pest  of  the  forest — The  jigger 
likewise  unendurable — Rewarded  at  last  with  a view  of  the  great  falls 
— They  constitute  the  Niagara  of  South  America — Prototypes  of  the 
“Canadian”  and  “American”  cataracts — A roar  that  can  be  heard 
twenty  miles — I christen  them  “ Daly  Falls,”  in  honor  of  the  President 
of  the  American  Geographical  Society 186 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

A PARAGUAYAN  RANCH. 

Exact  position  of  the  Daly  Falls — Through-express  routes  non-existent  in 
South  America — Messrs.  Uribi’s  establishment — A typical  Paraguayan 
farm — Enormous  ant-hills — Yerba  forests — Primitive  life  of  the  In- 
dians— A ride  through  the  forest — Delightful  life  on  Tupurupucu  ranch 
— Ox-carts  with  yerba-mate — All  but  a duel — San  Tome — It  contains 
the  ubiquitous  plaza — On  the  way  from  San  Borje — Railways,  present 
and  prospective — Itaqui — Mate  and  cigarettes — How  the  former  is 
served — Sipping  through  silver  tubes — Gathering  and  preparing  mate 
for  consumption 195 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

DOWN  THE  URUGUAY. 

Aime  Bonpland — His  work — Restauracion — Ceibo — Monte  Caseros — Con- 
cordia— Paysandu — Fray  Bentos — Liebig’s  famous  meat-extract  factory 
— More  than  twenty-five  hundred  thousand  cattle  slaughtered  by  the 
company  in  twenty  years — The  matador — How  animals  are  lassoed  and 
killed — Incredible  velocity  with  which  bullocks  are  slain  and  sliced — 
Process  of  making  the  extract — Eight  million  jars  sold  annually — On 
to  Rio  de  Janeiro — Dangers  of  La  Plata — Superiority  in  some  respects 
of  French,  Italian,  and  German  steamers 204 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

RIO  DE  JANEIRO. 

The  harbor — Sugar-Loaf  Rock — Beautiful  appearance  of  the  city  from  the 
water  by  night — Corcovado — I see  the  harbor  by  moonlight,  starlight, 
gaslight,  and  daylight — Difference  between  Rio  Janeiro  and  Valparaiso 


X1Y 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

— Large  ironclads — Narrow  streets — Picturesque  houses — Singularity 
of  the  signs — Tramways  and  public  vehicles — The  great  show-sight  of 
Rio — Physical  and  mechanical  attributes  of  the  road  to  Corcovado — An 
opportunity  Theophile  Gautier  would  have  improved — A pass  that 
outdoes  any  on  Mount  Washington  or  the  Righi — The  wondrous  pano- 
rama that  is  unfolded — A mid-air  vision  that  takes  away  the  breath — 
Emotions  aroused  by  the  outlook  from  the  top  of  Corcovado  . .212 

CHAPTER  XXYI. 

STREET  SCENES. 

Their  inexhaustibility — Morbid  curiosity  of  the  Brazilians — With  them  star- 
ing is  a fine  art — Nonchalance  of  store-keepers — The  people  are  in- 
quisitive rather  than  acquisitive — A splendid  residence  sacrificed  to 
curiosity — Nuisance  of  music  practice — Meager  appearance  of  the  white 
Brazilians — Coolness  of  neighboring  hill-resorts — Yellow  fever — Pro- 
portionof  deaths — Causes  of  yellow  fever  and  small-pox. — Bad  drain- 
age, lack  of  fresh  air,  stagnation  of  water,  corruption  of  garbage — 
Apparent  extravagance  of  prices — The  real  explanation — Rio’s  market 
— Negresses — Turkey  - sellers — Milkmen — The  Carnival — Danger  of 
wearing  a silk  hat — Merry  maskers — Toleration  of  customs  that  should 
be  obsolete 221 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

' 

PUBLIC  BUILDINGS  AND  GARDENS. 

Botanical  Gardens — Their  situation — An  arborescent  gallery — Wonderful 
Royal  palms — Campo  Sant’  Anna — Cascade  Grotto — Small  influence  of 
the  priesthood  in  Brazil — Features  of  a grand  requiem — Few  handsome 
public  edifices — The  splendid  Misericordia  Hospital — Supervised  by 
Sisters  of  Charity — Academy  of  Fine  Arts — The  Dom  Pedro  II.  Thea- 
tre— Military  band  of  seventy-five  mulattoes — The  Emperor’s  box — 
Complexions  of  the  audience — Results  of  miscegenation — His  Majesty 
arrives  amid  silence — Distribution  of  prizes — A local  poet  shines — The 
public  reserves  its  enthusiasm  for  comic  operas 231 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

ENVIRONS  OF  RIO. 

National  Library — National  Museum — Contributions  by  foreign  naturalists 
and  savans — Dr.  Ladislau  Netto — Astronomical  observatory — Histori- 
cal, Geographical,  and  Ethnographical  Institute  of  Brazil — Tijuca — 
Whyte’s  Hotel — The  “ Chinese  View  ” — Petropolis — A Brazilian  Gov- 
ernor’s Island — Raiz  do  Serra — Various  languages  that  assail  one’s 
ears — Foreign  ministers  make  Petropolis  their  summer  home-^It  re- 
sembles an  old  German  town — Theresopolis — Organ  Mountains — The 
Switzerland  of  Brazil — Piedade — Beautiful  scenery  ....  242 


CONTENTS. 


xv 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


THE  EMPEROR  OF  BRAZIL. 


PAGE 


San  Cristoval,  the  Emperor’s  palace — His  Majesty  receives  me — Dom  Pedro 
described — His  tact,  energy,  culture,  and  humanity — His  pleasant  rec- 
ollections of  the  United  States — His  address,  while  in  this  country,  be- 
fore the  American  Geographical  Society — A democratic  emperor — Bra- 
zilian royalties — Dom  Pedro’s  intellectual  and  physical  activity — 
Untiring  manner  in  which,  both  at  home  and  abroad,  he  admits  alter- 
nately the  claims  of  business  and  pleasure — Princess  Isabella — Size 
of  Brazil — National  finances — The  Riachuelo,  the  admiral’s  flag-ship — 

The  Brazilian  navy— The  monitor  Javari — Discomfort  of  a voyage  on 
such  a vessel 252 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

THE  PROVINCE  OF  SAN  PAULO. 

The  richest  coffee  region  of  Brazil — Scenery  along  the  road — Position  of 
San  Paulo — Headquarters  of  the  coffee  interest — Campinas — Manor- 
houses — Ignorance,  indolence,  loveliness,  and  content  of  the  women — • 
Brazilian  slavery — Provisions  of  1871 — Later  legislation — Contem- 
plated revolt  in  1886 — Causes  of  dissatisfaction — Immediate  and  un- 
conditional emancipation  granted  in  1888 — Festivities  on  May  18th, 
19th,  and  20th  of  that  year — Civic  and  educational  processions — Free 
theatrical  performances — Santos— Views  from  the  summit  of  Serra  do 
Mar — Unhealthiness  of  the  seaport — The  Barra  .....  259 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

A TRIP  TO  MORRO  VELHO. 

The  province  of  Minas-Geraes — Proposed  tour — A splendid  ride  in  the 
Celeridade — Along  the  Piabanha — Valley  of  the  Parahybuna  River — 
Railroad  and  steamboat  lines — Queluz — A town  more  dead  than  alive 
— Doctors  practice  medicine  “ pour  passer  le  temps  ” — Prevalence  of 
lepers — Hippolyte,  the  guide — Habits  of  muleteers  and  cart-drivers — 
Ouro  Branco — Terrific  thunder-showers — Rough  specimen  of  a Brazil- 
ian pousada — Laced  bed-linen  amid  filth  and  squalor — A knifeless  din- 
ner— Caxones — Strange  ecclesiastical  emblems  upon  crosses — The  lat- 
ter became  disheartening  on  account  of  tragic  associations  ascribed  to 
them 267 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

DOWN  THE  GREAT  GOLD-MINE. 

Congonhas — It  is  a hamlet,  but  nevertheless  contains  a theatre  and  a ca- 
thedral— Mr.  George  Chalmers,  superintendent  of  the  San  Juan  del 


XVI 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Rey  Mining  Company — Descending  the  Morro  Yelho  mine — The  man- 
ner in  which  the  trip  is  made — Rumblings  and  reverberations  inside  the 
mine — The  air  is  pure,  but  the  environment  is  pandemoniac — Gangs  of 
men  singing  while  at  work — Dore  and  Dante  would  have  been  at  home 
there — Dynamite  in  constant  demand — The  way  you  reach  daylight 
again — Contented  troglodytes — Colored  people  at  the  Casa  Grande — 
Africa  let  loose — Baiting  the  bull— Slaves  speak  their  native  language 
— Ceaseless  clatter  of  the  mills — “ Timbuctoo  ” — Mine  and  mills  em- 
ploy 1,500  persons  of  nine  nationalities — The  gold  troop  . . . 276 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

ON  THE  RIO  DAS  VELHAS. 

Between  Morro  Yelho  and  Jaguara — Sabara — Santa  Luzia — A closet  bedroom 
like  those  in  New  York  flats — An  automatic  corn-smasher — Jaguara — 

The  buildings  going  to  ruin — Bats  and  owls  have  it  all  to  themselves — 
Method  of  catching  serpents — Amenities  of  convict  life  in  Santa  Luzia 
— Hotel-keeping  in  Brazil — Ouro  Preto — Mules  and  horses  in  Brazil 
contrasted  with  those  of  Ecuador,  Peru,  and  Bolivia — The  roads  and 
wayside  inns — The  peak  of  Itacolumi — Ouro  Preto  consists  chiefly  of 
one  thoroughfare 285 

CHAPTER  XXXIY. 

CIRCLING  BACK  TO  RIO. 

A Tyrolese  town  suggested — Ouro  Preto  is  the  capital  of  one  of  the  finest 
provinces  of  Brazil — Municipal  buildings — Brazilian  sense  of  time — 
Church  of  Antonio  Dias — School  of  Mines— Off  for  Teixeiras— Mari- 
anna and  San  Sebastian — Apparent  preponderance  of  negroes — Euro- 
peans in  Minas-Geraes — Yankee  clocks  and  sewing-machines — Bread 
and  eggs  not  to  be  had  for  the  asking — Noise  and  shallow  politeness  of 
people  at  the  hotels — From  Teixeiras  to  San  Geraldo — A crooked  rail- 
way— Remarkable  bit  of  engineering — The  distance  to  Canto  Gallo — 

Over  the  mountains  thither — Route  to  Nictheroy — Nova  Friburgo — 

Serra  da  Boa  Yista — The  Fell  system  of  railway — The  peak  of  Tijuca 
— Nictheroy — An  exquisite  panorama  wherewith  to  close  the  day . . 294 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

THE  SECOND  CITY  OF  BRAZIL. 

Farewell  to  Rio — Bay  of  Bahia — Situation  of  the  city — Residences  on  the 
bluff — No  public  buildings  of  special  merit — Open-air  market — Muscu- 
lar development  of  the  negroes — Sedan-chairs — Mediaeval  streets — The 
old  Government  House — The  Municipal  Hall — The  plaza  and  its  sur- 
roundings— Tramways  in  Bahia — Rio  Yermelho — The  “seven  sta- 
tions ” — Public  Garden — A favorite  promenade — Cachoeira — Landing 


CONTENTS. 


XVII 


PAGE 

the  mail  in  a bottle — Mr.  Joseph  Mawson,  Superintendent  of  the  Bra- 
zilian Imperial  Central  Bahia  Railway — Along  the  course  of  the  Para- 
guassu  River — Caverns  not  made  by  man — Diamond-washings  . . 304 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

ON  THE  SAN  FRANCISCO. 

From  Bahia  to  Penedo — Aracaju — President’s  palace — House  of  Delegates 
— Piassabossu — Penedo — It  exports  cotton,  sugar,  and  hides — Steep 
streets — Beggars  in  abundance — Religious  procession — The  people  are 
religious  but  untheological — How  Good  Friday  was  observed — Effi- 
gies of  Judas  Iscariot — From  Penedo  to  Piranhas — Propria — Traipu — 
Threading  the  tortuous  San  Francisco — Pao  d’Assucar — Apparent  inac- 
cessibility of  Piranhas — Absence  of  good  hotels — The  railway  from 
Piranhas  to  Jatoba — Horses  and  mules  still  employed  for  transporta- 
tion— People  of  Piranhas — Pedra  do  Sino,  or  bell-stone  . . .315 

CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

THE  KING  OF  RAPIDS. 

From  Piranhas  to  Sinimbu — Rapids  of  Paulo  Affonso — The  vaqueiro  and 
his  family — V ai-vem — Seven  great  cataracts — Inferno  and  Arcadia 
combined — “Emperor’s  View  ” — Vampire  Grotto — Locality  for  a pro- 
spective Cataract  House — The  village  of  Jatoba — It  is  without  a hotel 
— How  travelers  may  fare — Cataracts  of  Itaparica — Resounding  roar 
— Lawless  character  of  Jatoba  and  Piranhas — Capital  punishment  non- 
existent in  Brazil — Parisian  clock  in  Piranhas — Love- songs  through 
the  night — The  town  of  Maceio  ........  326 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

THE  “ CITY  OF  THE  REEF.” 

Pernambuco — It  possesses  the  essential  characteristics  of  a city — Country- 
houses  of  rich  merchants — Recife — Custom-house  and  Arsenal  of  War 
— President’s  house  and  gardens — Theatre — School  of  Fine  Arts — 
Hospital  of  Dom  Pedro  II. — House  of  Deputies — Cemetery — Public 
market — Building  of  the  Commercial  Association — Sugar  and  cotton 
interests — Private  residences  in  Pernambuco — Village  of  Caxanga — 
Great  variety  of  vegetable  produce — New  reservoir  and  water- works — 
Olinda  as  a suburb — Predominance  of  churches  and  convents — Theo- 
logical seminary — Palmares — Mandioc  and  beans — The  engenhos,  or 
sugar-mills — Cape  Saint  Roque — San  Luiz — Para  . . . .335 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

AN  EQUATORIAL  EMPORIUM. 

Para  is  also  called  Belem — Its  situation — Public  market — Botanical  Gar- 
dens, so-called  — Pretty  dwelling-houses — Variable  climate  — Large 
B 


XY111 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

opera-house — A leaderless  band — Audiences  enter  and  exit  en  masse 
— Manrico  passes  round  the  hat — Bragan9a — Forest  intricacies  and 
luxuriance — Vagaries  of  tree-growth — Mr.  E.  S.  Rand’s  gardens — Ama- 
zonian passenger-line — Idleness  of  the  voyagers — Amazon  Valley,  the 
country  of  hammocks — Beautiful  specimens  on  the  Rio  Negro — Pre- 
vailing character  of  the  Amazon — Magnificent  scene  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Xingu — A botanist’s  paradise — Palms  in  exhaustless  varieties  . 344- 

CHAPTER  XL. 

UPON  THE  SEA-LIKE  AMAZON. 

Daily  deck-washing — Invisibility  of  the  captain — Expertness  of  the  pilots 
— Abundance  of  local  travel — The  two-mouthed  Xingu — The  Amazon 
a veritable  “ ocean-stream” — Largest  river  in  the  world — Three  fourths 
of  Brazil  tropical — Birds — Santarem — Obidos — It  seems  almost  like  a 
cemetery — Piratical-looking  craft — Wind  and  current  on  the  Amazon 
— Pirarucu — The  Amazon  assumes  new  names  at  particular  points — 
Manaos — Zinc  market-house— Brazil  Street — Elastica — Newspapers — 
Hackney-coaches — Cafes — Billiard-saloons — Barber  - shops — Botanical 
Museum  of  Amazonas — Works  on  Brazil — Dr.  J.  Barboza  Rodrigues — 
Beef-cattle — Method  of  hoisting  bullocks  on  board  steamers — The  long- 
est way  round,  the  shortest  home — I cross  the  equator  for  the  eleventh 
time  .............  355 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

TO  THE  GUIANAS  Via  BARBADOS. 

Roadstead  of  Bridgetown — Government  offices— Narrow  sidewalks — Build- 
ings of  all  sizes  and  shapes — Church  of  England  cathedral — Parlia- 
ment Houses — Assembly  and  Council  Chamber — Library — Albert  Hall 
— Hastings,  an  English  garrison-post — Barbados  as  a sanitarium — Eng- 
lish residences— Sugar-mills  and  wind-mills — Paucity  of  trees — Cod- 
rington  College — Coast  of  British  Guiana — Demerara  River — George- 
town— Berbice — Great  variety  of  races  represented— Tower  Hotel — 

Use  of  canals  in  Georgetown — Large  stores  amply  stocked — Tramways 
— Choice  of  churches  and  clubs — Sea-front  of  British  Guiana — Immi- 
gration-Sugar estates — Provinces  and  parishes— Governor  and  Court 
of  Policy — Governor’s  “ contingencies  ” 366 

CHAPTER  XLII. 

A BRITISH  COLONY. 

Fine  public  buildings  wanting  in  Georgetown — Law  Courts — The  Public 
Building — Market — Roman  Catholic  Cathedral — British  Guiana  Muse- 
um— Royal  Agricultural  and  Commercial  Society — Newspapers  and 
magazines — Government  House — Promenade  Gardens — Drives — Sea- 


CONTENTS. 


xix 


PAGE 

wall — Botanical  Gardens — "Victoria  Regia — Climate — Georgetown  set- 
tlement— British  Guiana — Mouth  of  the  Essequibo — Wood-cutting  and 
stone-quarrying — Bartica  Grove — Penal  settlement — Up  the  Demerara 
— Negroes  and  creoles — Macusi  Indians — Gold-mining — The  Royal 
Butch  West-India  Mail — Surinam — Administration  Building — Govern- 
ment House — Paramaribo 376 

CHAPTER  XLIXI. 

PARAMARIBO  AND  CAYENNE. 

Churches  and  cemeteries — Jews  an  important  factor — Climate — Police — 
Fire-engines — Dress  and  appearance  of  the  women — Ball  at  the  Gov- 
ernment House — Pyjamas — Imported  ice — Dutch  architecture — Pub- 
lic garden — Colonial  Council — Circulating  libraries — Club — Cayenne — 

How  it  looks  from  a distance— Magasin  general — Vultures  clean  the 
streets — Gowns  of  Creole  women — French  garrison — Enfant  Perdu — - 
Kaw  Mountains — Gold  quartz — Cabbage-Palm  Square — Double  palm- 
tree — Gendarmerie — Government  House — Semaphore — Levee — Gulf  of 
Paria — La  Brea — Port-of-Spain 385 

CHAPTER  XLIV. 

TRINIDAD  AND  UP  THE  ORINOCO. 

Hospitals  and  asylums  in  Port-of-Spain — Queen’s  Park — Botanical  Gardens 
— Pitch  Lake  of  La  Brea — San  Fernando — Asphaltum — Pitch  volca- 
noes— Orinoco  line  of  steamers — Accommodations  on  them — Macareo 
River — Character  of  the  Orinoco — Barrancas — Las  Tablas — El  Callao 
— Prairie  fires — The  delta — Bolivar — Steamers  at  anchor — How  the 
city  of  Bolivar  is  supplied  with  water — El  Respiroso — Bust  of  General 
Guzman  Blanco — The  “ Illustrious  American  Regenerator  ” — Gambling 
on  shipboard — Vingt-et-un — Birds  along  the  river  . . . . 396 

CHAPTER  XLV. 

THE  BIRTHPLACE  OF  BOLIVAR. 

Island  of  Margarita — Tortuga — Roadstead  of  La  Guayra — Government 
work — Macuto — The  Coney  Island  of  Venezuela — Appearance  of  La 
Guayra  from  the  ocean — Absence  of  vegetation — Dwellings  of  negroes 
— Streets — Equestrian  statue  of  General  Blanco — Offer  of  an  English 
company — Imported  British  rolling-stock — Heavy  rains — Skillful  en- 
gineering— Zigzag — Caracas — Manner  in  which  it  is  laid  out — Peculiar 
nomenclature  of  the  streets — Orientation  necessary  to  the  stranger — 
Carriage-hire — The  telephone  in  use — French  and  Spanish  cookery — 
Paseo  Guzman  Blanco — Profuse  supply  of  vegetables — Stone  sun-dial 
belonging  to  Humboldt — Statue  of  Bolivar — Handsome  public  build- 
ings— Statues  of  Vargas  and  Cajegal — Government  buildings — Federal 
Palace — Opera-House — Teatro  Caracas  ......  405 


XX 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XLYI. 

GENERAL  GUZMAN  BLANCO. 

PAGE 

Pauteon  National — Attachment  of  Venezuelans  to  Bolivar — National  Mu- 
seum— Caracas  ladies — Their  dress  and  appearance — Influence  of 
Blanco — He  pervades  Caracas — George  Washington  not  forgotten — 
Welcome  given  to  General  Blanco — The  latter’s  birth  and  education — 

How  he  became  instructed  in  politics — Became  Vice-President  and 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury — Provisional  President — His  influence  upon 
public  instruction  and  the  development  of  the  country — He  spends 
millions  on  public  works — Revises  the  civil,  military,  and  penal  codes 
— He  retires,  but  is  recalled — He  extends  the  boundaries  of  the  repub- 
lic— Two  thousand  public  schools  attest  his  devotion  to  education — He 
is  the  friend  of  railways,  telegraph  lines,  electric  lighting,  and  telephones 
— His  masterly  management  of  the  finances — Riches  and  houses  of 
Blanco — Wealth  of  Venezuela — Puerto  Cabello — Willemstad — A Dutch 
colony — Cura9ao — Santa  Marta — Sierra  Nevada — The  Magdalena  . 415 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 

A WEEK  ON  THE  MAGDALENA. 

An  impracticable  custom-house  — Salgar  — Barranquilla  — Mule  hackney- 
coaches — Yeguas — Caracoli — Steamers  on  the  Magdalena — Value  of 
mosquito-netting — State-rooms — Pilot-house — Very  mixed  meals — A 
stampede  for  the  table — Lightning-like  ingurgitation — Tortuousness  of 
the  Magdalena — Mompos — Floods — The  Indians  like  the  water’s  edge 
— Character  of  the  Magdalena — Bay  of  Cartagena — Calamar — Mercan- 
tile fair  at  Magangue — Banco — Wild  animals  in  the  forest — Profusion 
of  towns  and  villages — The  river  people — Aborigines — Andes — Ocana 
— Canoe-traveling — Railway  to  Pamplona  and  Socorro — Angostura  . 426 

u* 

CHAPTER  XL VIII. 

THE  ANDES  AGAIN.  . 

Honda — Pendulum-boat — Mules  for  mountain  travel — Dress  of  the  men — 
Guaduas — Roadside  inn — Chicha — Villetta — Agua  Larga — Cone  of  To- 
lima — Facatativa — The  grand  plaza — Omnibuses — Plain  of  Bogota — 
Guadalupe  and  Monseratte — Position  of  Bogota — Badness  of  the  best 
hotel — Prevalence  of  goitre — Costly  mule-road — December  in  Bogota 
Conspirator  cloaks — Fondness  for  black — Cathedral  and  public  build- 
ings— Pilgrimages — The  great  square  of  the  Constitution — Capitol — 

Mud  houses  and  iron  gratings — Diversity  of  house-fronts — Absence  of 
carts  and  carriages — Sedan-chairs — Kerosene-lamps  in  the  streets — 

One  line  of  tramway — Chapinero — Horsemanship — Amusements.  . 436 


CONTENTS. 


xxi 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 


SANTA  FE  DE  BOGOTA. 


PAGE 


The  mint — Coins  in  circulation — Paper  currency — Churches — La  Tercera — 
Statue  of  General  Mosquera — Senate  and  House  of  Representatives — 
Revolutions  in  Colombia — How  people  live  there — School  of  Fine  Arts 
— A regiment  of  boys — The  paradise  of  generals — Military  oddities — 
President’s  body-guard — National  Museum — National  Library — Astro- 
nomical observatory — New  opera-house — Newspapers — Muzzling  the 
press — Folletins — Tequendama  Falls — Their  location — How  to  reach 
them — Features  of  the  scenery — Landscape  lineaments — A cataract 
that  jumps  six  hundred  feet. — Tolima  and  Ruiz — View  up  the  Magda- 
lena— Steep  staircases — The  straw  in  my  saddle  almost  eaten  by  my 
mule — Munchausen-like,  but  true  . 446 


CHAPTER  L. 

HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


The  Colombian’s  extraordinary  conception  of  business — No  stamps  procur- 
able at  the  mailing-place — Hotel-bills — Detention  of  steamers — Exag- 
gerated politeness — Trade  with  Barranquilla — Fifteen  stops  for  freight 
— Cartagena — The  bay — Groves  of  cocoanut-palms — Coolie  Town — 
Aspinwall — Danger  of  fire — Iron  steamer- warehouses — Arcade  style  of 
sidewalks — Multifarious  shops — Gambling  in  all  classes — Currency — 
Communication  with  the  rest  of  the  world — Chinese  shop-keepers — 
Panama — The  canal  more  destructive  to  human  life  than  the  railway 
— Three  hundred  million  dollars  spent — The  most  gigantic  financial 
disaster  of  the  nineteenth  century — A fabulous  enterprise — I conclude 
my  travels  with  quick  and  multitudinous  glimpses — A blessing  on  my 
readers  . . 455 


Index 


465 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


H.  M.  the  Emperor  of  Brazil  

Llamas,  Ecuador  . 

FACING 

PAGE 

Frontispiece 

. 20 

Professional  Mourners 

. 29 

President  Caamano 

. 32 

Chimborazo  from  a Height  of  Fourteen  Thousand  Feet 

. 42 

General  Caceres  . 

. 51 

Panorama  of  Lima  . . 

. 55 

Viaduct  of  Verrugas,  Oroya  Railroad 

. 59 

The  General  Cemetery  of  Lima  . . . . . 

. 62 

A House  Entrance,  Lima 

. 65 

A Lima  Belle  . . 

. 67 

The  Fandango  of  Peru 

. 69 

Silver  Head  from  an  Inca  Cemetery  .... 

. 81 

Copacabana,  Lake  Titicaca 

. 83 

Crusoe’s  Lookout  (with  Commemorative  Tablet)  . 

. 106 

View  from  the  Principal  Square  of  Santiago 

. 109 

Puerto  Bueno,  Smyth’s  Channel 

. 120 

Fuegians  at  Home 

. 124 

A View  in  the  Strait  of  Magellan  ..... 

. 128 

Patagonians  and  their  Tent 

. 141 

General  View  of  Montevideo 

. 144 

A Private  Residence,  Buenos  Ayres  .... 

. 154 

The  Famous  Rocking-Stone  of  Tandil  .... 

. 159 

The  Daly  Falls,  Iguassu  River 

. 192 

The  Daly  Falls ; a Near  View  from  the  Brazilian  Side . 

. 194 

View  of  the  Entrance  to  the  Harbor  of  Rio  Janeiro 

. 212 

View  from  the  Summit  of  the  Corcovado 

. 212 

Statue  of  Dom  Pedro  I. 

. 216 

By  Rail  to  the  Corcovado 

. 218 

A Market-Woman 

. 227 

A Part  of  the  Avenue  of  Royal  Palms  .... 

. 231 

A Profile  of  the  Avenue  of  Royal  Palms 

. 233 

Four  Pretty  Sisters 

. 238 

The  Palace  of  San  Cristoval 

. 252 

XXIV 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


FACING 

PAGE 

The  Empress  of  Brazil 255 

The  Brazilian  Ironclad  Riachuelo . 257 

Pines,  Minas-Geraes,  Brazil 267 

Wooden  Images  in  a Church  at  Congonhas  . . . . 276 

A Wealthy  Negress 297 

General  View  of  Bahia  . . . 305 

A View  from  the  Public  Gardens 311 

The  King  of  Rapids 328 

The  Reef  and  Harbor  of  Pernambuco  . 335 

A Chinese  Immigrant,  Georgetown 373 

Colonial  Produce,  British  Guiana 377 

A Paramaribo  Creole 386 

A Cayenne  Creole 390 

A Big  Tree  in  a Public  Square,  Port-of -Spain 396 

A Hindoo  Coolie,  Port-of-Spain  . 400 

Scene  on  the  Railway  from  La  Guayra  to  Caracas  ....  409 

General  Guzman  Blanco 418 

Magdalena  River  Steamboats  .....  . . .427 

Colombian  Horsemen  . . . . 437 

A Business  Street  of  Bogota 444 

MAPS  AND  PLANS. 

Map  of  - South  America,  with  Routes  of  the  Author  ....  1 

Situation  of  the  Argentine  Republic  in  South  America  . . .151 

Chart  of  the  Bay  of  Rio  Janeiro 214 

The  Map  of  Brazil  and  the  Chart  of  the  Bay  of  Rio  Janeiro  . . 248 

Chart  of  a Section  of  the  Lower  Amazon 352 

Plan  of  the  Railway  from  La  Guayra  to  Caracas 407 


'sm 


* 0 mwm  AMMKDA 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


CHAPTER  I. 

OUTWARD  ROUND. 

On  June  10,  1885,  the  well-appointed  and  ably  com- 
manded Pacific  Mail  steamship  Acapulco  sailed  from  New 
York,  numbering  the  present  writer  among  her  passengers. 
Most  of  us  were  bound  for  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  the 
steamer  conducting  us  to  the  well-known  commercial  port  of 
Aspinwall.  The  distance  is  two  thousand  miles.  We  trav- 
ersed it  in  nine  days — rather  slow  travel  when  the  Atlantic 
is  skimmed  in  six ; but  doubtless  the  Pacific  Mail  Steamship 
Company  finds  it  more  profitable  to  lodge  and  board  its  pas- 
sengers for  a long  period  than  to  waste  the  extra  coal  that 
would  be  required  for  a short  one.  Our  voyage  was  no  ex- 
ception to  those  usually  experienced  in  the  tropics,  where  a 
good  steamer,  with  good  company,  makes  dullness  a dream. 
In  the  days  there  is  the  exhilaration  of  brightness  and  breeze ; 
in  the  nights,  the  balm  of  coolness  and  repose.  If  the  moon 
be  large  and  brilliant,  her  fantastic  glory  gives  an  invitation 
to  romance.  This  might  easily  have  been  our  case,  though 
it  was  not,  and  through  the  entire  route  scarcely  a dozen  ves- 
sels appeared,  to  relieve  for  a moment  the  Acapulco’s  loneli- 
ness. 

The  first  land  we  beheld  was  that  part  of  the  New  World 
which  Columbus,  thirt}^-five  days  from  Spain,  in  his  ninety- 
ton  pinnace,  named  San  Salvador.  To  geographers  it  is  now 
more  prosaically  known  as  Watling  Island.  It  is  one  of  the 
l 


2 


ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMEBIC  A. 


most  fertile  of  the  Bahamas,  producing  sub-tropical  fruits, 
grain,  and  roots  in  lavish  abundance.  It  was  a treat  to  gaze, 
even  from  a distance,  upon  an  island,  the  discovery  of  which, 
nearly  four  centuries  ago,  has  proved  the  greatest  blessiug  of 
the  kind  the  world  has  known.  Passing  the  eastern  extrem- 
ity of  Cuba,  we  were  soon  greeted  by  the  flaming  stars  of  the 
Southern  Cross,  the  most  splendid  constellation  of  the  south- 
ern heavens.  Numerous  flying-fish  and  tiny  nautili  in  their 
boat-like  shells  betoken  an  entrance  into  another  and  stranger 
zone.  A few  uninteresting  islands,  right  and  left,  did  not 
at  the  moment  enhance  this  strangeness,  as  we  performed  the 
practical  duty  of  dropping  our  mail-bags  into  whale-boats, 
which  put  off  to  us  from  solitary  lighthouses.  But  soon  the 
purple  mountains  of  Hayti  loomed  grandly  from  the  east, 
and  then,  crossing  the  Caribbean,  we  saw  no  more  land  until 
the  famed  Isthmus  of  Panama  faintly  looked  at  us  from  the 
vanishing-point  which  unites  water  and  sky. 

W e entered  Aspinwall  Harbor  at  six  in  the  morning.  A 
few  men-of-war,  a dozen  passenger-steamers,  and  half  a dozen 
ships,  rode  lazily  at  anchor.  Behind  them  were  the  ruins  of 
the  town,  which  had  been  recently  burned  by  the  Colombian 
rebels,  and  in  the  distance  stood  the  thickly  wooded  hills. 
The  only  wharf  untouched  by  the  fire  was  that  owned  by  our 
steamer’s  company.  We  landed  and  took  a walk.  Our  sea- 
legs  had  begun  to  envy  the  art  of  the  pedestrian.  The  town 
is  situated  upon  the  western  side  of  Manzanilla  Island,  which 
itself  lies  at  the  northeastern  corner  of  Limon  Bay.  This 
island  is  perhaps  three  miles  long  and  two  broad,  and  has 
been  artificially  joined  with  the  mainland  by  a narrow  neck 
of  soil.  The  northern  terminus  of  the  Panama  Canal  is  at 
the  head  of  Limon  Bay.  Upon  a point  of  land  extending 
into  this  bay,  about  half  a mile  from  Aspinwall,  is  the  French 
town  of  Christophe  Colomb,  which  has  sprung  up  since  the 
inception  of  the  canal.  It  is  a much  more  healthy  location 
than  that  of  Aspinwall,  which  is  scarcely  a foot  above  the 
sea-level,  and  is  a neat  little  settlement  of  two-story  houses, 
with  macadamized  and  well-drained  streets.  Here  stands  a 


OUTWARD  BOUND. 


3 


colossal  bronze  statue  of  “ Columbus  and  the  Indian.”  This 
and  a plain  granite  shaft  to  the  memory  of  the  three  founders 
of  Aspinwall — "William  H.  Aspinwall,  Henry  Chauncey,  and 
John  L.  Stephens — at  the  opposite  end  of  the  island,  near 
the  sea,  are  about  the  only  artistic  embellishments  of  a town 
which,  first  and  last,  is  only  a side  station  on  one  of  the 
great  highways  of  commerce.  It  is  almost  useless  to  add 
that  Colomb  is  peopled  entirely  by  canal  employes.  Vast 
stores  of  canal-digging  implements  and  machinery  are  here 
collected,  some  under  cover,  but  the  greater  part  exposed. 
The  town  had  apparently  been  built  upon  level,  marshy 
ground,  with  its  houses  reared  upon  brick  and  wTooden  piles. 
Thousands  of  Jamaica  negroes  were  busily  engaged  in  erect- 
ing all  sorts  of  temporary  shanties.  The  depot  having  been 
burned,  the  trains  of  the  Panama  Railroad  departed  from  a 
random  point  in  the  street.  The  yellow  fever  was  raging, 
and  three  corpses,  borne  on  canvas  litters,  passed  me  in  my 
walk  and  prepared  me  for  the  sight  of  a score  of  cheap 
wooden  coffins  lying  in  a row  in  an  old  freight-house.  The 
streets  were  filthy  and  everywhere  flooded  with  water,  the 
heat  was  intolerable,  and  I only  wondered  that  any  human 
beings  could  live,  to  say  nothing  of  their  keeping  well,  under 
such  adverse  conditions. 

In  an  old  church  about  thirty  of  the  late  rebels  were  con- 
fined as  prisoners  of  war,  and  guarded  by  as  sorry  a looking 
lot  of  native  soldiery  as  r ever  saw  in  any  land.  Two  of  the 
prisoners,  found  guilty  of  firing  Aspinwall,  had  been  hanged, 
but  it  was  considered  doubtful  whether  any  severe  punish- 
ment would  be  meted  out  to  the  others.  The  continued 
revolts  and  miniature  revolutions  of  the  disaffected  South 
American  states  would  soon  become  less  frequent  if  stern 
and  speedy  retribution — such  as  death  by  hanging — should 
be  administered  to  the  leaders.  But  the  authorities,  instead, 
treat  their  distinguished  prisoners  to  champagne,  and  free 
them  on  parole.  As  these  malcontents  are  simply  profes- 
sional freebooters,  if  a rebellion  is  suppressed  in  one  state  or 
in  one  part  of  a state,  they  at  once  set  forth  for  any  place, 


4 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


neighboring  or  distant,  where  another  rebellion  may  happen 
to  be  in  progress.  The  governments  are  often  bad,  but  these 
riotous  outbreaks  seldom  embrace  many  of  the  intelligent, 
sober-minded  citizens.  The  rebellions  never  result  in  any 
good.  Their  ringleaders  are  not  patriots,  but  men  intent 
only  upon  personal  power  and  aggrandizement  by  any  means, 
however  foul.  The  best  remedy  for  these  evils  would  be 
strong  central  governments,  with  sufficient  power  and  inclina- 
tion to  preserve  the  peace  and  compel  the  observance  of  law 
and  order.  But,  unfortunately,  the  existing  governments  are 
generally  too  weak  or  too  vacillating  to  take  such  measures. 

The  railway  to  Panama  is  forty-seven  miles  in  length, 
and  tickets  have  to  be  purchased  on  board  the  trains. 
Twenty-five  dollars  in  gold  was  charged  for  a through  pas- 
senger— an  extortionate  monopoly  of  fifty-three  cents  per 
mile,  which  made  it  the  most  expensive  railway  in  the  wTorld. 
Four  passenger  trains  run  each  way  daily,  the  express  requir- 
ing three  hours  to  make  the  trip.  Personal  baggage  is  very 
dear,  and  must  be  paid  for  at  the  rate  of  thirteen  cents  per 
pound.  Of  the  thirty  stations  on  the  railway,  the  express 
stops  at  fewer  than  half,  and  many  of  these  seem  to  be  only 
negro  hamlets  of  palm-thatched  huts.  The  cars,  of  which 
there  are  two  classes,  those  of  even  the  first  not  equaling 
the  appointments  of  an  ordinary  American  car,  are  made 
in  Philadelphia,  and  the  locomotives  in  Paterson.  The 
engineers  and  conductors  are  whites,  and  generally  Ameri- 
cans ; the  firemen  and  brakemen  are  Colombians  or  negroes. 
Our  train  was  filled  with  a most  cosmopolite  crowd,  and 
smoking  was  universal,  even,  in  the  first-class  cars.  The  line 
of  the  railway  is  very  sinuous.  For  about  one  third  of  the 
distance  the  country  is  undulating  and  swampy,  while  the 
remainder  is  diversified  by  hillocks  and  small  rivers.  For 
the  purposes  of  the  railroad,  a width  of  about  fifty  feet  is 
kept  cleared  through  the  very  dense  tropical  jungle  which 
covers  the  isthmus.  The  predominant  trees  are  cocoa-palms, 
bananas,  bread-fruits,  papayas,  and  bamboos. 

The  famous  interoceanic  canal  of  M.  de  Lesseps  follows 


OUTWARD  BOUND. 


5 


generally  tlie  line  of  the  railway,  which  it  twice  crosses.  Tt 
was  to  have  run  in  a general  northwest  and  southeast  direc- 
tion, and  be  forty-five  miles  in  length,  or  two  miles  less  than 
the  railway.  It  was  expected  to  be  twenty-eight  feet  in 
depth  and  one  hundred  feet  wide  at  its  bottom.  There  were 
to  be  five  stations  on  the  canal,  where  ships  might  pass  each 
other,  and  five  other  intermediate  stations.  The  Isthmus  of 
Panama  extends  in  a general  east  and  west  direction,  and  is 
extremely  hilly,  covered  wfith  virgin  forest,  and  full  of  large 
and  small  rivers.  As  the  center  of  the  isthmus  is  in  about 
9°  of  north  latitude,  in  the  “ rainy  season  ” the  deluge  is  ter- 
rific, and  all  these  rivers  and  streams  rise  suddenly  and  flow 
furiously,  with  disastrous  and  readily  conceivable  effects.  The 
dividing  ridge  of  the  isthmus  is  about  fifteen  miles  from  the 
Pacific.  From  this  point,  in  the  same  course  as  that  in  which 
the  canal  is  being  built,  the  Chagres  Piver  runs  to  the  At- 
lantic and  the  Pio  Grande  to  the  Pacific.  To  restrain  the 
waters  of  the  Chagres,  which  has  been  known  to  rise  forty 
feet  in  the  rainy  season,  and  which  the  canal  has  to  cross 
about  a dozen  times,  twenty  huge  and  massive  dams  will 
have  to  be  constructed.  The  Pio  Grande,  however,  is  crossed 
but  once,  and  that  near  its  mouth.  In  the  dividing  ridge  of 
the  isthmus  a great  regulative  reservoir  is  being  formed  by 
damming  the  Chagres  at  that  point,  a lake  being  enlarged 
and  otherwise  fitted  for  that  purpose.  Upon  the  hills  here- 
about are  very  extensive  French  settlements,  the  little  cot- 
tages with  wide,  projecting  roofs  being  erected  upon  brick 
or  stone  pillars  six  feet  in  height,  and  placed  in  situations 
most  exposed  to  the  sun  and  air.  Some  distance  from  the 
Pacific  terminus  it  was  intended  to  excavate  a large  interior 
port  like  that  at  Aspinwall,  which  opens  directly  into  the 
Bay  of  Limon.  Continuing  from  that  point,  the  canal  was 
to  enter  the  Pacific,  not  at  Panama,  but  three  miles  to  the 
southwest,  and  a channel  would  have  to  be  excavated  nearly 
to  a distance  of  three  miles — in  fact,  almost  to  the  islands 
south  of  Panama,  where  the  Pacific  Mail  steamers  have  a 
coaling  and  repairing  station.  Of  course,  the  entire  line  has 


6 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


been  carefully  marked  out  and  cleared  of  jungle,  but  no  part 
of  it  is  wholly  completed.  Work  has  not  been  continuous 
from  either  end,  but  has  been  expended  at  intervals  in  sec- 
tions. Here  you  see  trenches  dug  and  dirt  trains  running 
upon  temporary  tracks ; there  possibly  a huge  digger  eating 
quietly  into  a hill-side.  I saw  one  mammoth  excavator  from 
Springfield,  Mass.,  belonging  to  the  American  Contracting 
and  Dredging  Company,  at  work  digging  through  a rocky 
hill  with  as  much  ease  apparently  as  if  it  were  simply  raising 
oozy  mud  from  the  bottom  of  - Hew  York  Harbor.  The  di- 
mensions of  this  great  dredge  were : Length,  one  hundred 
and  twenty  feet ; breadth,  sixty-five  feet ; and  height  of 
tower,  seventy- five  feet.  Here  were  vast  heaps  of  tools  and 
machinery  piled  around  warehouses  of  material ; there  rows 
of  huge  dormitories  for  laborers.  The  latter  were  mostly 
negroes  from  Jamaica  and  other  West  India  islands  and  from 
the  cities  of  the  Spanish  Main.  At  the  time  of  my  visit 
fifteen  thousand  of  them  were  said  to  be  at  work,  in  addition 
to  more  than  two  thousand  foreigners,  mostly  French,  serv- 
ing as  surveyors,  engineers,  machinists,  superintendents,  and 
clerks.  All  were  well  paid  and  promptly.  The  ordinary 
laborers  got  one  dollar  and  twenty  cents  a day,  operating 
engineers  from  ninety  to  one  hundred  and  twenty  dollars  a 
month.  Belgium  furnished  the  greater  part  of  the  machinery, 
and  Belgium  and  Grermany  most  of  the  mechanical  engineers. 

At  scarcely  any  point  of  the  line  will  you  find  anything 
resembling  what  you  imagine  to  be  a canal,  but  instead  the 
whole  country  seems  turned  upside  down ; everything  ap- 
pears crude,  rough,  and  unfinished.  The  reader  will  please 
understand  that  I am  giving  the  observations  and  impressions 
of  my  first  visit  in  1885.  That  the  canal  would  some  day 
be  completed,  I thought  improbable;  but,  if  it  should  be,  it 
seemed  wholly  impossible  that  at  such  an  enormous  outlay  it 
could  prove  a financial  success.  But  when  was  it  likely  to  be 
finished  ? Who  knew  ? About  as  many  men  were  engaged 
upon  it  as  could  be  conveniently  handled  and  fed.  The  cli- 
mate, of  course,  was  very  much  against  the  European  employes, 


OUTWARD  BOUND. 


7 


thousands  of  whom  had  died  since  the  work  began.  That 
very  sanguine  and  vivacious  veteran,  M.  de  Lesseps,  first  ap- 
pointed the  year  1888  as  the  period  of  the  opening  of  “la 
grand  canal  du  Panama.”  But  this,  it  should  be  remembered, 
was  when  he  was  on  his  travels  in  search  of  subscriptions. 
He  has  since  postponed  the  occasion  to  1890.  The  French 
engineer-in-chief  told  a friend  of  mine  that  he  estimated  that 
about  one  thirty-second  part  of  the  whole  work  was  done  at 
the  time  of  my  first  visit  in  1885.  Active  labor  was  begun 
in  1881 ; so  at  this  rate  of  progress  it  would  require  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-eight  years  to  complete  the  canal ! There 
seemed  a strong  probability  that  before  many  years  the 
money  would  run  short  and  the  work  droop  and  languish, 
until  either  the  sea-level  project  was  exchanged  for  one  with 
locks,  or  else  possibly  the  governments  of  several  rich  and 
powerful  nations  would  unite  in  the  completion  . of  the  most 
gigantic  and  daring  design  of  man  upon  this  globe.  A later 
review  of  the  work  will  be  found  in  my  last  chapter. 

On  alighting  from  the  train  at  Panama,  crazy  little  hacks 
carry  you  over  ill-paved,  and,  at  the  rainy  season,  very  muddy 
roads,  beyond  the  wretchedly  dirty  and  bad-smelling  out- 
skirts of  the  city.  Thence  you  pass  through  narrow  and 
crooked  ways,  between  rows  of  two-story  and  three-story 
houses,  whose  projecting  balconies  sometimes  nearly  touch 
each  other  across  the  street,  and  at  last  you  enter  the  cathe- 
dral plaza.  On  one  side  of  this  is  the  office  of  the  “ Com- 
pagnie  Universelle  du  Canal  Interoceanique,”  on  another  the 
bishop’s  palace,  on  still  another  the  cathedral,  and  on  the 
fourth  the  Grand  Central  Hotel.  This  is  the  best  hotel  in 
Panama,  a great  four-story  building,  which  has  on  the  ground 
floor  a large  American  bar-room  and  barber-shop  and  a spa- 
cious dining-room  paved  with  marble.  Up-stairs  is  a com- 
modious public  parlor  with  a waxed  floor  and  cane  furniture. 
Bedrooms  either  have  exterior  openings  upon  the  streets  or 
interior  ones  upon  a court-yard.  The  huge  caravansary  is 
lighted  with  gas,  and  the  Saratoga  price  of  five  dollars  a day  is 
charged  for  very  inferior  lodging  and  worse  board.  The 


8 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


city,  of  very  old  Spanish  origin,  is  built  upon  comparatively 
level  ground,  on  a narrow  peninsula  extending  out  into  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  or  rather  the  Bay  of  Panama.  At  the  extreme 
eastern  point  of  this  peninsula  are  still  standing  the  walls  of 
the  old  citadel.  They  are  built  of  brick  and  faced  with  cut 
stone.  They  are  thirty  or  forty  feet  in  height  and  twenty- 
five  in  thickness,  and  notwithstanding  their  great  age  still  re- 
main in  good  condition.  Their  top,  provided  with  masonry 
seats,  forms  a needed  promenade  and  cool  lounging-place  of 
an  evening.  The  slowly  combing  waves  of  the  Pacific  dash 
in  huge  rollers  against  the  foot  of  the  walls,  and  you  have  a 
fine  view,  not  only  seaward,  but  toward  the  islands  where 
anchor  the  coasting  steamers,  as  well  as  toward  the  wooded 
and  very  irregular  hills  of  the  isthmus.  But  the  city  of 
Panama  itself  I found  intolerably  hot,  damp,  and  dirty,  with 
little  of  special  interest  for  the  traveler,  unless  he  were  an 
archaeologist  or  architect.  In  the  latter  case  he  would  like  to 
study  the  cathedral,  in  the  former  the  old  fort.  The  cathedral 
is  an  ancient  edifice,  with  two  towers,  the  cupolas  of  which 
have  an  edging  of  oyster-shells  by  way  of  ornament.  Upon 
the  facade  are  thirteen  full-length  statues  of  alleged  saints. 
The  interior  of  the  cathedral  is  extremely  plain,  both  walls 
and  altars,  and  is  enriched  with  no  fine  paintings  or  carvings. 

The  Isthmus  of  Panama  is  credited  with  a population  of 
about  200,000 ; while  Panama  city  contains  some  20,000, 
mostly  cosmopolites  like  those  found  in  Aspinwall.  The 
English  and  French  languages  are  everywhere  spoken,  and 
the  best  stores,  restaurants,  and  bar-rooms  are  managed  in 
either  the  French  or  the  American  fashion.  There  is  a very 
good  daily  newspaper,  called  the  “ Star  and  Herald,”  which 
consists  of  eight  pages,  a third  of  it  being  printed  in  English, 
a third  in  French,  and  a third  in  Spanish.  Moreover,  these 
three  sections  are  adapted  to  the  interests  of  the  separate 
classes  of  readers  represented  by  the  respective  languages,  in 
that  they  do  not  contain  altogether  the  same  matter,  except, 
of  course,  the  important  cable  and  telegraphic  dispatches. 
The  paper  sells  for  ten  cents,  silver. 


CHAPTER  II. 


OK  TO  GUAYAQUIL. 

From  Panama  I took  one  of  the  (British)  Pacific  Steam 
Navigation  Company’s  vessels  for  the  chief  seaport  of  Ecua- 
dor. She  was  the  Ilo,  a steamer  of  about  fifteen  hundred 
tons  burden,  upon  wThose  upper  deck,  running  flush  from 
stem  to  stern  wTere  a double  row  of  commodious  state-rooms 
and  a large  and  finely-upholstered  dining-saloon,  the  whole 
surrounded  with  ample  room  to  promenade.  The  hatch- 
ways, with  steam  winches  for  loading  and  unloading  cargo, 
were  placed  nearly  at  the  sides  of  the  steamer  instead  of 
along  the  center,  as  is  usual.  This  novel  arrangement  had 
several  advantages  for  the  passengers.  Above  the  roof  of 
the  dining-saloon  and  state-rooms  an  awning  was  spread,  and 
from  this  elevated  position  a good  breeze  and  an  extended 
view  were  readily  obtainable.  As  a slight  testimony  to  the 
prevailing  lawlessness  and  insecurity  of  life  in  the  South 
American  states,  our  steamer  carried  a stand  of  muskets  and 
cutlasses  in  the  pilot-house,  precisely  as  was  formerly  the  cus- 
tom with  vessels  exposed  to  predatory  visits  of  Malay  pirates 
in  the  East  India  and  China  Sea  navigation.  There  were  on 
board  about  thirty  passengers,  bound  for  various  towns  along 
the  coast,  but  mostly  for  Guayaquil  and  Callao.  The  first- 
class  fare  from  Panama  to  Guayaquil,  a passage  of  but  little 
more  than  three  days,  was  one  hundred  and  two  dollars, 
American  gold ! This  was  the  most  expensive  voyage  that 
I remember  ever  to  have  made  in  any  part  of  the  world.  It 
was  a fit  companion  to  the  Panama  Railroad  extortion  just  ex- 
perienced. But  when  did  a monopoly  have  a conscience  ? 


10 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


As  I was  rapidly  nearing  the  lands  of  Pizarro  and  Alma- 
gro,  I thought  it  well  to  begin  at  once  the  practice  of  the 
pure  Castilian  which  I flattered  myself  I had  recently  ac- 
quired with  considerable  zeal  and  effort  in  New  York.  My 
first  victims  were  unsuspecting  sons  of  Peru  and  Chili,  who 
waited  upon  table,  and  whose  profiles  I was  sure  I had  seen 
on  some  terra-cotta  pitchers  in  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of 
Art.  They  listened  to  me  anxiously  but  kindly,  frequently 
repeating  my  questions  with  an  accent  different  from  mine. 
This  I attributed  to  the  fact  that  they  had  not  before  had  the 
good  fortune  to  hear  their  dulcet  tongue  spoken  with  such 
purity  as  by  the  natives  of  Madrid,  Manila,  Havana,  or  New 
York.  I was  not  hurt — I only  pitied  the  unsophisticated  de- 
scendants of  the  Incas.  But  when  occasionally  I received  an 
answer  in  curt  English  to  my  precise  and  melodious  Spanish, 
I marveled  greatly  that  they  did  not  understand  better  their 
own  language,  and  should  prefer  to  address  me  in  one  hardly 
known  to  themselves  and  now  so  rapidly  fading  from  my 
memory.  I frankly  admit  that  I wondered,  but  I was  not 
utterly  crushed — as  the  reader  might  with  great  show  of  rea- 
son suspect — for  the  above  linguistic  experience  is  not  unfa- 
miliar to  the  circumnavigator. 

On  the  23d  of  June  we  crossed  the  equator.  Eight  hun- 
dred miles  to  the  westward  of  the  mainland  of  Ecuador,  and 
under  the  line  of  the  equator,  lie  the  Galapagos  Islands,  an 
archipelago  of  a dozen  mountainous  and  almost  barren  islands 
of  volcanic  origin,  which,  though  mostly  uninhabited,  belong 
politically  to  the  Republic  of  Ecuador.  A very  interesting 
feature  in  this  lonely  group  is  that  furnished  by  the  singu- 
larity of  their  indigenous  animals.  Species  abound  of  reptiles 
and  birds  quite  unknown  to  every  other  part  of  the  world. 
Among  them  are  twenty-four  species  of  land  birds,  a re- 
markable kind  of  turtle,  a gigantic  tortoise,  two  extraordi- 
nary species  of  lizards,  and  several  peculiar  snakes.  The 
nearest  allied  forms  to  these  isolated  species  are  found  upon 
the  distant  mainland.  But  still  more  remarkable  than  the 
fact  of  these  species  being  unknown  to  every  part  of  the 


OH  TO  GUAYAQUIL. 


11 


world,  is  the  circumstance  that  some  of  them  are  restricted 
to  certain  islands  of  the  group,  with  species  allied  but  quite 
distinct  on  another  island.  The  clew  to  the  explanation  of 
these  peculiar  phenomena  of  geographical  distribution  will 
doubtless  be  found  in  the  fact  that  the  islands  are  separated 
from  each  other  by  deep  channels,  with  strong  currents,  and, 
being  volcanic,  and  having  emerged  from  the  sea,  must  have 
been  separately  elevated  by  subterranean  forces  and  can 
never,  at  any  time,  have  been  closely  connected  with  the  ad- 
joining continent,  or  with  each  other.  They  were  probably 
peopled  by  their  present  stock  of  animals  at  so  very  remote 
a period  as  to  have  allowed  time  for  much  variation  in  the 
characters  of  the  species.  Intermigration  has  been  pre- 
vented by  the  above-mentioned  reasons,  and  so  an  isolated 
development  of  a most  interesting  and  instructive  character 
has  been  brought  about  by  natural  means  and  great  lapse  of 
time.  A penal  colony  of  Ecuadorians  was  once  planted  on 
one  of  the  larger  islands  of  the  group.  But  the  convicts  re- 
volted, killed  the  governor,  and  escaped,  leaving  behind  pigs, 
cattle,  donkeys,  and  horses.  Ho  one  was  suspected  to  have 
lived  there  since  that  time.  But  a party  from  the  Albatross 
Expedition  were  rather  surprised,  when  they  visited  the 
island,  to  come  upon  another  Alexander  Selkirk,  a man  near- 
ly naked,  carrying  a pig  on  his  back.  He  was  quite  as  sur- 
prised as  they,  and  was  at  first  in  great  fear ; but  finally  they 
got  him  to  talk.  His  hair  and  beard  had  grown  to  great 
length,  and  he  had  lost  all  notion  of  time.  He  said  that 
some  years  previous  he  had  come  from  Chatham  Island,  an- 
other of  the  group,  with  a party  in  search  of  a certain  valu- 
able moss  ; that  he  had  deserted  his  companions,  who  had 
gone  oft  without  him,  and  that  since  that  time  he  had  been 
alone.  He  had  lived  on  fruits  and  herbs ; had  captured  wild 
cattle  by  setting  traps  for  them  ; killed  them  with  a spear 
made  by  tying  a pocket-knife  to  a stick,  and  from  their  hides 
made  a hut.  He  was  glad  to  see  men  again,  and  asked  to  be 
taken  back  to  Chatham,  which,  of  course,  was  granted. 

We  soon  entered  the  Gulf  of  Guayaquil,  and,  turning 


12 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


about,  beaded  toward  the  north.  The  country  in  sight  was 
level  in  the  foreground,  with  pretty,  wooded  hills  stretching 
away  in  the  .distance.  At  our  fore  was  now  hoisted  the 
Ecuadorian  flag — three  broad,  longitudinal  stripes,  yellow, 
blue,  and  red,  typifying,  it  was  understood,  that  the  blue 
ocean  now  separated  bloodthirsty  Spaniards  from  the  yellow 
gold  of  Ecuador.  We  pass  two  national  men-of-war,  merely 
small  trading- steamers  of  about  five  hundred  tons  burden  each, 
without  armor-plating,  and  mounting  only  a few  small  guns. 
Then  came  some  ships,  but  no  merchant-steamers.  A little 
farther  on  we  anchor  near  the  shore  and  abreast  of  the  market- 
place of  Guayaquil.  All  that  appears  of  the  low-lying,  level 
city  from  the  gulf  is  a long  row  of  houses  of  yellow  and  white 
bamboo  and  stucco,  and  of  varying  altitudes,  with  tiled  roofs 
and  piazzas,  large  windows  fitted  with  green  Venetian  blinds 
and  bamboo  or  canvas  awnings.  The  buildings  are  generally 
arranged  as  stores  below  and  dwelling-rooms  above.  The  side- 
walk passes  through  a corridor  of  the  buildings,  as  is  usual  in 
Ecuadorian  towns.  A few  twin  church-towers,  of  odd,  Ori- 
ental styles,  rise  in  different  directions.  On  a hill  east  of  the 
city  there  seems  to  be  a small  fort.  Along  the  bank  runs  a 
tramway  with  double-decked  cars  drawn  by  mules.  Donkey- 
carts  and  loaded  pack-mules  pass.  A brass  band  is  heard, 
and  I see  a slow  procession  headed  by  a priest,  and  a great 
wood  and  tinsel  figure  of  the  Virgin  Mary  borne  upon  the 
shoulders  of  six  men.  The  object  of  this  religious  parade  is 
to  take  up  a collection  to  help  build  a church.  While  ob- 
serving that  subscriptions  do  not  seem  to  flow  in  any  more 
rapidly  than  they  do  at  home  under  the  incitement  of  stained 
glass,  flowers,  and  an  organ  voluntary,  my  attention  is  sud- 
denly drawn  to  a huge  alligator,  fully  fifteen  feet  in  length, 
swimming  with  horrible,  gaping  jaws  down  the  swiftly  run- 
ning tide  of  the  gulf. 

The  captain  of  the  port  and  other  Ecuadorian  officials 
come  off  to  our  steamer,  all  with  great  display  of  gay  bunting 
and  uniforms,  and  no  deficiency  of  self-appreciation.  Native 
fruit-sellers,  with  huge  boat-loads  of  bananas  and  pineapples, 


ON  TO  GUAYAQUIL. 


13 


also  approach  and  beg  eagerly  for  patronage.  Going  on 
shore  1 am  passed  through  the  custom-honse  with  a hurried 
examination  of  my  baggage,  and  soon  find  a comfortable 
room  iu  the  “ Hotel  de  Europa.”  Guayaquil  is  not  only  the 
commercial  seaport  of  Quito,  the  capital,  but  of  all  Ecuador, 
and  in  walking  through  the  streets — many  of  them  paved 
and  lighted  with  gas — I am  struck  by  the  very  great  variety 
and  general  good  quality  of  the  merchandise  exposed  for 
sale.  The  number  of  drinking-shops,  where  fiery  liquors  are 
sold,  is,  however,  disproportionately  large.  On  most  of  the 
leading  thoroughfares  are  mule  tram-cars.  From  behind  the 
curtains  of  many  of  the  deep,  latticed  balconies,  which  hang 
midway  over  the  streets,  I often  caught  glimpses  of  flashing 
black  eyes,  velvety  cheeks  of  pearly  hue,  raven  tresses,  and 
cherry-ripe  lips.  This  was  all  that  was  vouchsafed  me,  for 
the  senoritas  of  Ecuador,  as  of  Old  Spain,  are  extremely  coy. 
One  of  the  churches  has  such  a very  Chinese-looking  pair  of 
pyramidal  towers,  that  I half  expected  to  find  some  natives 
of  distant  Cathay  lounging  about  its  carved  wooden  portals. 
I called  at  a neighboring  bamboo  convent  and  was  cordially 
received  by  some  of  the  old  joadres.  Their  cells  were  bare 
of  furniture,  as  usual,  though  the  walls  were  covered  with  re- 
ligious pictures  and  texts.  A great  number  of  empty  brandy- 
bottles  were  hidden  behind  a door,  and  some  of  the  red-faced 
and  very  corpulent  old  monks  showed  only  too  plainly  where 
the  contents  had  recently  gone. 

The  old  route  to  Quito  was  first  by  steamboat,  seventy 
miles  up  the  Guayas  Eiver,  in  one  day,  to  a town  called 
Bodegas,  and  then  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  miles  in  seven 
or  eight  days,  on  mule-back,  over  the  flank  of  Chimborazo  and 
the  lofty  table-lands  of  the  valley,  to  the  capital.  But  a new 
route,  which  I proposed  to  follow,  permitted  two  other  varie- 
ties of  travel — namely,  railroad  and  diligence.  This  led  al- 
most directly  eastward,  over  the  Andes,  until  we  reached  the 
great  valley  of  Quito,  when  we  proceeded  nearly  due  north 
to  our  goal.  I was  fortunate  enough  to  have  as  companions 
on  this  journey  Mr.  Kelly,  the  contractor,  and  Mr.  Mali- 


14 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


nowski,  the  engineer,  of  the  new  railway.  Mr.  Kelly  has 
already  had  considerable  experience  in  railway  construction 
in  Central  America,  while  Mr.  Malinowski  is  one  of  the  best- 
known  men  in  his  profession  in  South  America,  having  been 
engaged  with  Mr.  Meiggs  in  the  building  of  the  famous 
Oroya  Kailroad  from  Lima  eastward  over  the  Cordillera. 
He  had  been  employed  at  a large  salary  to  lay  ont  the  new 
Ecuadorian  line  toward  the  great  central  highway  of  the 
country  and  possibly  to  Quito  itself.  Both  of  these  gentle- 
men were  fine  linguists,  thoroughly  conversant  with  the  cus- 
toms of  the  natives  and  with  the  best  methods  of  traveling, 
and  I was  greatly  indebted  to  them  for  many  hints  on  what 
proved  to  be  a hard  and  exhausting  trip.  My  preparations 
for  mountain-travel  were  soon  complete.  I procured  a 
saddle,  with  metal  stirrups,  stont  crupper  and  breeching, 
bridle,  lariat,  a pair  of  spurs  with  rowels  fully  two  inches  in 
diameter,  rubber  and  woolen  jponchos  or  cloaks,  rubber  cover 
for  a huge  felt  hat,  canvas  leggings,  leather  gloves,  and  stout 
shoes.  A revolver  was  worn  more  for  intimidation  than  be- 
cause the  need  to  use  it  was  probable.  A large  gunny-bag 
contained  the  entire  mule  outfit.  Then  my  clothes  were 
snugly  packed  in  two  mule-trunks — stont,  tin-covered  boxes, 
about  twenty-four  inches  long,  fifteen  wide,  and  fifteen  deep ; 
these  were  not  to  be  opened  until  I reached  Quito.  A small 
leather  bag  contained  material  for  use  upon  the  road.  The 
native  inns  are  without  exception  ill-furnished  and  filthy, 
and  their  food  and  cooking  are  not  at  all  adapted  to  foreign 
palates.  So  it  would  be  well  for  the  traveler,  who  wishes 
some  degree  of  comfort,  to  take  a supply  of  canned  food  and 
wines,  together  with  knives,  forks,  and  plates.  Nor  would  a 
mattress  and  pillow  come  at  all  amiss. 

We  left  Guayaquil  on  the  evening  of  Friday,  the  26th,  in 
a diminutive  high-pressure  steamboat,  bound  eastward  to  a 
little  town  called  Yaguachi,  on  a small  river  of  the  same 
name,  which  flows  into  the  Guayas,  and  where  the  railway 
begins.  I had  not  been  on  board  an  hour  before  a severe 
headache,  from  which  I had  suffered  all  the  afternoon,  sud- 


ON  TO  GUAYAQUIL. 


15 


denly  developed  into  a sharp  attack  of  the  Guayaquil  fever 
— a sort  of  bilious  fever,  accompanied  with  terrific  pains  in 
the  crown  and  back  of  the  head,  in  the  small  of  the  back, 
and  in  the  thighs.  Severe  vomiting  ensued.  My  pulse 
mounted  with  fearful  rapidity,  and  some  of  the  Ecuadorian 
passengers  were  at  first  of  the  opinion  that  I was  afflicted 
with  the  dreaded  yellow  fever.  In  fact,  a bad  bilious  fever 
resembles,  in  the  beginning,  a mild  attack  of  Yellow  Jack. 
During  the  night  I was  delirious,  but  in  the  morning  the 
fever  had  greatly  abated,  though  the  pain  in  the  head  con- 
tinued, and  I was  too  weak  to  stand.  I took  at  once  a strong 
purgative  and  afterward  powerful  doses  of  quinine.  When 
the  first  sharp  attack  came  on,  the  Ecuadorians  gave  me  a 
great  quantity  of  the  strong  native  brandy,  called  aguardi- 
ente, made  from  sugar-cane.  This  stopped  the  pain  in  the 
back  but  rather  increased  that  in  the  head.  However,  it  was 
a relief  to  have  such  severe  pain  in  one  place  instead  of  two. 

The  Guayas  Diver  was  muddy,  and  ran  with  a swift  cur- 
rent, which  bore  along  many  small  floating  islands  of  reeds 
and  flowers  of  varied  species,  which  perhaps  resembled  the 
chinamjpas  of  Montezuma’s  Mexico.  The  banks  seemed  al- 
most uninhabited ; they  were  low,  and  covered  with  a dense 
growth  of  bananas,  plantains,  and  palms.  In  the  distance 
were  many  gracefully  outlined  and  jungle-clad  hills.  We 
had  a remarkably  fine  view  by  moonlight  of  the  great  Chim- 
borazo, from  its  very  summit  down  to  the  snow  limit.  The 
appearance  of  this  wonderful  mountain  has  been  so  often  de- 
scribed that  I will  merely  say  that  its  solitariness  and  mass- 
iveness are  the  qualities  which  most  impress  one.  It  is  nearly 
covered  in  a winding-sheet  of  purest  snow  and  ice,  though 
the  tempests  seem  to  have  bared  great  streaks  on  its  rugged 
sides.  When  upon  the  plateau  of  Quito,  we  are  nearly  two 
miles  high,  which  greatly  dwarfs  Chimborazo,  Cotopaxi,  and 
the  neighboring  Andean  giants,  so  that  our  unusually  clear 
view  from  the  level  of  the  sea  showed  the  celebrated  mount- 
ain to  the  best  advantage.  We  reached  Yaguachi  about 
midnight,  and  found  a good  supper  ready  for  us  in  the  sta- 


16 


ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


tion-house  of  the  Southern  Railway  of  Ecuador,  and  a little 
later  comfortable  sleeping-rooms  in  the  second  story  of  the 
same  building.  We  had  advanced  about  fifty  miles. 

The  next  morning  at  daybreak  we  entered  the  cars  of  the 
first  and  only  railway  yet  built  in  the  Republic  of  Ecuador. 
This  railway  was  then  about  fifty  miles  in  length,  and  has 
since  been  extended  twenty  miles  more.  It  is  a narrow- 
gauge  line,  with  steel  rails,  and  very  diminutive  cars  and 
locomotives,  which  were  built  in  Pennsylvania.  • As  upon 
the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  the  engineers  are  foreigners,  the 
firemen  and  brakemen  natives.  But  one  trip  a day  is  made, 
the  train  in  which  we  went  not  returning  until  the  following 
day.  The  rate  of  speed  is  about  ten  miles  an  hour,  though 
even  this  is  occasionally  somewhat  reduced  by  accidents  to 
the  rolling-gear,  the  steam  becoming  low,  or  some  other 
avoidable  mishap.  There  are  no  cuttings  or  fillings  of  any 
extent  on  the  whole  line,  and  the  grade  is  easy  except  for  a 
short  distance  near  the  mountains  at  the  eastern  extremity 
of  the  line.  You  cross  about  fifty  small  streams  on  wooden 
bridges.  The  road  traverses  a magnificent  tropical  jungle 
throughout  its  entire  extent.  The  vegetation  largely  repre- 
sents the  bread-fruit,  banana,  India-rubber,  papaya,  cacao, 
coffee,  pineapple,  orange,  lemon,  mango  and  cocoa-palm. 
The  forest  is  so  dense  that  not  only  can  you  not  make  a way 
into  it,  but  you  can  not  even  look  into  it.  Creepers  and 
climbers  extend  in  every  direction,  hang  from  every  limb, 
and  cover  every  trunk.  They  cross  each  other,  they  run 
parallel  like  telegraph  wires,  they  interlace  and  braid  the 
smaller  shrubbery,  until  it  seems  like  a solid  mass  of  glossy 
verdure.  Yery  many  trees  are  covered  with  orchids  in  vari- 
ous gay  colors,  a splendid  blood-red  predominating.  At  the 
terminus  of  the  railway  we  found  our  saddle-mules  and  don- 
keys for  the  baggage  waiting  in  the  care  of  muleteers.  Here 
ensued  a scene  of  great  confusion  and  a long  delay.  As 
with  all  tropic  children,  an  immense  amount  of  discussion 
about  the  veriest  trifles  had  to  be  indulged  in,  and  very  many 
wrangles  had  to  be  calmed  and  adjusted.  Then  we  break- 


ON  TO  GUAYAQUIL. 


17 


fasted  in  a neighboring  house — a simple  bamboo  structure 
raised  upon  wooden  piles  and  having  a thick,  straw-thatched 
roof.  The  breakfast  consisted  of  the  popular  native  dish, 
potato-soup — not  bad,  but  still  not  very  nutritious  ; broiled 
chicken,  fresh  killed  and  therefore  tough  ; eggs  fried  in 
cocoanut-oil ; and  a most  delicious  large  pineapple.  Then 
we  were  off  through  the  virgin  forests,  up  hill  and  down 
dale,  fording  raging  mountain  torrents,  crossing  frail  bamboo 
bridges,  scrambling  along  precipices,  toiling  in  and  out  of 
gluey  bogs,  and  brushing  through  tangled  thickets.  A great 
part  of  the  road  was  simply  a series  of  holes,  a foot  or  so  in 
depth,  worn  and  hollowed  by  rain  and  much  travel,  and  in 
and  out  of  which  our  mules  had  to  step  with  most  laborious 
slowness.  We  were  mounted,  however,  upon  good  stout 
animals  that  possessed  all  the  surety  and  safety  of  step  pecul- 
iar to  their  race.  They  are  extremely  gentle  creatures,  rare- 
ly having  even  the  expected  attribute  of  obstinacy.  Their 
memory  is  exceedingly  imperfect,  and  requires  to  be  con- 
tinually jogged  with  the  spurs.  The  natives,  when  riding, 
play  a constant  tattoo  upon  the  flanks  of  their  mules,  in  order 
to  obtain  uniform  and  satisfactory  progress,  though  they  al- 
ways allow  the  animals  to  select  the  part  of  the  road  which 
they  prefer.  A good  mule  in  Ecuador  is  more  expensive 
than  a good  horse.  Donkeys  are  employed  in  the  transport 
of  baggage,  and  good  donkeys  will  carry  as  much  as  a mule 
can,  or  two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds.  As  they  wear  no 
head-gear,  they  are  not  led,  but  are  driven  in  troops  by  mule- 
teers. About  a dozen  of  them  were  required  to  carry  all 
our  baggage.  We  rode  slowly  forward,  with  magnificent 
forest  and  mountain  views  on  every  hand,  until  at  dusk  we 
reached  the  farm-house  of  a friend  of  Mr.  Kelly’s,  where  we 
stopped  for  the  night.  Round  about  the  country  was  plant- 
ed with  coffee,  sugar-cane,  and  orange  and  lemon  trees.  A 
primitive  press  for  extracting  the  juice  of  the  sugar-cane,  and 
a huge  copper  caldron  for  boiling  the  liquid,  were  located 
near  the  house.  The  master  was  absent  on  business  in  Guay- 
aquil, but  his  daughter,  a beautiful  girl  of  eighteen,  made  us 
2 


18 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


most  welcome  and  did  the  honors  with  a native  grace  that 
elicited  the  warmest  praise  from  even  such  old  campaigners 
as  my  critical  companions.  In  the  absence  of  her  father  the 
young  lady  was  administering  the  entire  estate,  and  it  was 
extremely  interesting  to  watch  her  direct  half  a dozen  men 
in  their  diverse  duties  in  as  many  minutes.  She  treated  us 
to  some  very  fair  food,  though  it  is  generally  necessary  for 
foreigners  to  acquire  a liking  for  the  products  of  an  Ecua- 
dorian kitchen.  Into  nearly  everything  are  put  cheese,  gar- 
lic, and  oil  or  fat,  and  of  course  the  frying-pan  is  in  frequent 
request.  They  have  an  odd  practice  of  serving  two  kinds 
of  soup  at  a meal,  the  second  coming  near  the  conclusion,  and 
being  followed  perhaps  by  a sweet — some  sort  of  cake  or 
jelly.  They  keep  strong  coffee-extract  already  prepared  in  a 
bottle,  and  serve  it  at  your  discretion  with  hot  water  or 
boiled  milk.  A proper  degree  of  cleanliness  is  lacking,  both 
at  table  and  in  bedrooms,  but  it  is  quite  the  same  in  all 
Spanish  countries — in  the  Philippine  and  West  India  Islands, 
and  even  in  European  Spain  herself. 


CHAPTER  III. 


OVER  THE  CORDILLERA. 

We  went  on  early  in  the  morning  and  experienced  a day 
of  terrible  roads  and  wTild  torrents,  but  with  most  magnificent 
scenic  treats.  The  views  of  umbrageous  valleys  and  huge 
hills  more  than  repaid  me  for  the  rough  travel.  All  nature 
was  on  a tremendous  scale  ; even  the  hillocks  were  several 
thousand  feet  in  height.  At  night  we  reached  a small  In- 
dian village  far  up  among  the  hills,  and  found  quarters  in 
a wretched  wayside  inn.  This  building  was  of  sun-dried 
mud,  with  a straw-thatch  atop.  We  had  but  two  very  small 
rooms,  and  both  were  full  of  spiders,  fleas,  and  other  insect 
pests.  We  improvised  a dining-table  out  of  an  empty  pro- 
vision-box, and  put  down  our  beds  in  the  inner  room,  vir- 
tually a cellar  with  a mud  floor.  On  awakening  in  the  morn- 
ing, I spoke  of  a rat  which  had  playfully  coursed  about  my 
head  during  the  night ; but  one  of  my  companions  said  it 
must  have  been  a mouse,  for  the  room  was  really  too  small 
to  admit  a rat.  I sighed  deeply,  and  turned  over  for  another 
nap.  On  our  arrival  in  the  village,  a market  was  in  progress 
in  the  plaza  or  great  square.  The  Indians  had  for  sale  barley, 
maize,  meat,  and  oranges.  The  mestizoes,  or  half-castes,  that 
I had  seen  since  leaving  Guayaquil  reminded  me  strongly  of 
the  Siamese  in  facial  appearance  and,  to  some  extent,  in  their 
good-natured  but  apathetic  manner.  Most  of  the  people  in 
Ecuador,  and  the  rest  of  South  America  as  well,  belong  to 
the  mixed  races.  They  are,  for  the  most  part,  inoffensive 
and  uncivilized.  To  be  precise,  there  are  actually  seven  racial 
varieties  in  South  America:  1.  Foreigners,  among  whom  are 


20 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


Spaniards  and  Portuguese.  2.  Creoles,  descendants  of  Eu- 
ropeans and  North  Americans  settled  in  the  country.  3. 
Mestizoes,  offspring  of  Europeans  and  North  Americans  and 
Indians.  4.  Mulattoes,  offspring  of  Europeans  and  North 
Americans  and  negroes.  5.  Zamboes,  offspring  of  Indians 
and  negroes.  6.  Indians.  7.  Negroes.  The  whites,  who 
are,  of  course,  the  ruling  class,  are  principally  the  descend- 
ants of  the  early  Spanish  settlers  in  all  the  countries  save 
Brazil,  where  the  settlers  were  Portuguese.  The  Indian 
population  of  Quito  and  its  neighborhood  are  descendants  of 
the  aboriginal  tribes.  They  are  still  more  apathetic  than  the 
mestizoes.  They  are  also  shorter  and  stouter,  with  broad 
faces  and  great  shocks  of  strong  black  hair.  Their  language 
is  the  Quichua,  one  of  the  most  polished  and  widely  diffused 
of  all  native  American  tongues,  formerly  spoken  everywhere 
in  the  empire  of  the  Incas.  They  wear  coarse  cotton  shirts 
and  trousers,  and  the  always  graceful  and  picturesque^tf^cyfo. 
The  poncho , it  is  hardly  necessary  nowadays  to  describe,  is 
simply  an  oblong  piece  of  gay-colored  woolen  stuff  with  a 
small  slit  in  the  center,  through  which  the  head  is  thrust. 
On  their  feet  they  wear  straw  sandals,  or  more  generally  go 
barefoot.  The  women,  who  are  no  better-looking  than  the 
men,  wear  a long  skirt  of  a coarse,  dun-colored  fabric.  They 
do  a great  part  of  the  heavy  loading  and  unloading  of  mer- 
chandise, which  rather  unsexes  them  and  makes  them  pre- 
maturely old.  As  we  entered  the  market,  the  priest  and  a 
number  of  young  men  were  engaged  in  playing  a game 
astonishingly  like  our  popular  lawn-tennis.  The  priest  we 
found  not  only  to  be  sadly  in  need  of  a bath  and  clean  clothes, 
but  of  temperance  principles  as  well,  for  he  was  exceedingly 
drunk.  He  assumed  so  important  an  air  that  we  could  scarce 
repress  our  smiles  in  his  very  face.  Near  here  I first  saw 
the  gentle  and  useful  llama,  the  peculiar  beast  that  figures 
upon  the  escutcheon  of  Peru,  and  the  only  native  domesti- 
cated animal  in  South  America.  They  move  with  a most 
graceful,  swan-like  motion,  and  resemble  somewhat  the  camel, 
though  inferior  to  it  in  size,  strength,  and  intelligence.  They 


Llamas , Ecuador. 


OVER  THE  CORDILLERA. 


21 


will  carry  loads  of  about  one  hundred  pounds  fifteen  miles  a 
day.  Their  only  weapon  is  their  saliva,  which  is  very  acrid, 
and  which  they  eject  in  a similar  fashion  to  that  employed 
in  his  self-defense  by  our  very  pretty  but  also  very  unsavory 
skunk. 

The  next  day  was  a hard  one  of  mountain  scramble,  con- 
tinually ascending  until  we  left  the  forests  behind,  and  found 
instead  vast  fields  of  coarse  grass  and  stunted  shrubs.  The 
cold  was  intense  at  night,  which  we  were  compelled  to  pass 
in  a mud-hut  hardly  fit  for  cattle,  and  one  of  my  companions 
suffered  from  the  rarefaction  of  the  air.  The  hard  ground 
was  our  floor,  and  piles  of  hay  laid  on  boughs  our  luxurious 
couches.  We  awoke  quite  stiff  from  the  cold.  As  we  jour- 
neyed on,  the  hills  were  swept  by  furious  winds.  The  In- 
dians, clad  in  goat-skin  trousers,  had  adopted  the  profession 
of  shepherds,  and  large  flocks  of  sheep  and  goats  dotted  the 
hills,  while  cattle,  large  and  sleek,  lent  a homelike  aspect  to 
the  landscape.  After  traversing  some  very  dreary  plains,  at 
noon  we  reached  the  old  ruined  city  of  Latacunga,  and  rat- 
tled through  its  desolate  streets  to  the  inn,  Latacunga  has 
suffered  so  much  from  earthquakes  that  it  is  even  now  half 
in  ruins.  The  houses  are  built  of  pumice,  and  are  but  one 
story  in  height.  Leaving  this  town,  we  entered  upon  a very 
fine  carriage-road,  the  work  of  a former  Ecuadorian  President, 
G.  Garcia  Moreno.  This  road,  which  runs  to  the  capital, 
Quito,  cost  two  million  dollars.  It  is  about  thirty  feet  in 
width,  with  a deep  ditch  on  each  side.  It  was  not  necessary 
to  macadamize  it,  for  the  clay  of  the  country  packs  almost 
as  solidly  as  rock.  In  certain  steep  inclines,  however,  it  is 
paved  with  cobble-stones,  as  are  the  bridges — handsome  arches 
of  stone  and  brick  most  substantially  built — and  also  the 
twenty  miles  of  it  nearest  the  capital.  At  night  we  reached 
a place  called  Chuquipoyo,  on  the  southeastern  flank  of  Chim- 
borazo, which  from  the  inn  piazza  seemed  startlingly  near, 
as  well  as  almost  insignificantly  small  and  easy  of  ascent.  It 
should  be  noticed  that  Chuquipoyo  is  nearly  thirteen  thou- 
sand feet  above  sea-level,  and  that  the  atmosphere  at  this 


22 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


altitude  is  remarkably  clear.  I was  afterward  similarly  de- 
ceived, and  to  my  cost,  in  ascending  Popocatepetl.  From 
where  I spent  the  night,  also  at  an  altitude  of  about  thirteen 
thousand  feet,  it  seemed  as  if  one  might  get  to  the  summit 
easily  in  a couple  of  hours ; but  it  was  an  eight  hours’  severe 
climb.  At  Chuquipoyo  we  all  suffered  greatly  from  the 
peculiarly  penetrating  quality  of  the  cold  atmosphere.  We 
were  almost  immediately  on  the  equator,  and  yet  we  shiv- 
ered with  two  heavy  blankets  beneath  and  five  over  us.  In 
the  morning  we  went  northward,  across  a vast  treeless  desert, 
swept  by  furious  winds  and  gusts  of  fine  sand,  past  a deserted 
village  called  Mocha,  and  on  again  until,  early  in  the  after- 
noon, we  reached  Ambato,  the  interior  town  next  in  impor- 
tance to  Quito,  or  the  third  town  of  the  republic.  The 
houses  are  built  of  sun-dried  brick,  whitewashed,  and  their 
roofs  are  covered  w7ith  red  tiles.  We  straggled  up  a long 
street,  narrow  but  nicely  paved,  and  with  a central  gutter, 
to  the  chief  inn,  but  it  had  no  better  accommodation  and 
was  no  cleaner  than  the  others.  Here  we  found  the  diligence 
which  was  to  take  us  to  Quito.  It  was  an  English-made 
coach,  holding  eight  inside  and  six  outside  passengers,  drawn 
by  six  mules,  and  driven  by  a coachman  assisted  by  two  pos- 
tilions. As  we  had  engaged  nearly  all  the  seats,  we  decided 
to  detain  the  coach  until  the  following  morning,  to  await  the 
arrival  of  our  baggage,  coming  on  the  slow  donkeys,  and  also 
to  obtain  a night’s  rest,  which  we  all  sadly  needed.  In  the 
evening  the  native  governor  called  upon  us  and  presented  us 
with  a bottle  of  champagne. 

We  made  an  early  start,  our  baggage  being  heaped  on 
top  of  the  coach,  one  of  the  postilions  blowing  a bugle,  and 
the  coachman  driving  furiously  along  the  narrow  streets  of 
the  town.  Peaching  the  open  country,  it  was  interesting  to 
notice  the  native  method  of  driving  the  mules.  For  the 
wheelers  a short  whip  is  employed,  for  the  next  pair  a long- 
handled  one,  while  the  leaders  are  peppered  by  one  of  the 
postilions,  with  unerring  aim,  with  pebbles  stored  in  the 
coachman’s  box  for  that  express  purpose.  All  these  instiga- 


OVER  THE  CORDILLERA. 


23 


tors,  together  with  shouts,  exhortations,  anathemas,  shrill 
whistling,  and  blowing  of  the  bugle,  are  kept  up  unremittingly 
from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  each  stage,  whether  it  is  ten 
or  twenty  miles  in  length.  Should  the  mules  flag  from  a gal- 
lop, or  a swift  and  steady  trot,  or  even  drop  to  a walk,  as  they 
are  naturally  constrained  to  do  at  the  foot  of  very  steep  hills, 
the  postilions  dismount  and  running,  one  on  either  side,  deal 
such  fearful  blows  with  their  coarse  whip-lashes  of  bull’s  hide 
that  I almost  feared  the  poor  little  brutes  would  be  bisected. 
They  were  certain  to  arrive  at  the  end  of  the  stage  horribly 
chafed,  bleeding,  and  utterly  exhausted.  The  diligence  com- 
pany does  not  provide  suitable  mules  for  the  service,  although 
it  is  well  able  to  do  so,  since  but  one  trip  a week  is  made,  and  the 
charge  is  six  dollars  for  an  inside  and  four  for  an  outside  seat. 
A first-class  passenger  is  allowed  only  twenty  pounds  of  bag- 
gage free,  and  for  extra  baggage  must  pay  at  a high  rate.  The 
distance  from  Ambato  to  Quito  is  seventy-five  miles,  and  the 
time  allowed  two  days.  We  enjoyed  always  splendid  views 
of  the  sharp,  smooth  cone  of  Cotopaxi  upon  our  right,  the 
steep  and  jagged  Iliniza  upon  our  left,  and  behind  us  the 
massive  dome  of  Chimborazo.  We  had  sent  a courier  for- 
ward to  engage  fresh  mules  at  an  inn  nearly  opposite,  and 
not  five  miles  distant  from  the  base  of  Cotopaxi,  which  has 
the  same  deceptive  appearance  of  accessibility  as  has  Chimbo- 
razo from  Chuquipoyo,  but  upon  arriving  we  were  surprised 
to  find  that  our  order  had  been  ignored.  This  caused  us  a 
delay  of  a night,  and  we  suspected  that  the  courier  and  land- 
lord had  “ put  their  heads  together  ” to  compel  us  to  patron- 
ize the  inn.  During  the  afternoon  we  had  passed  an  enor- 
mous flow  of  lava,  rocks,  and  sand,  the  eruption  from  Coto- 
paxi in  1868.  Once  we  were  obliged  to  dismount  and  walk 
for  a long  distance,  where  a great  stone  bridge  and  the  road 
had  been  torn  away.  In  the  plain  before  Cotopaxi  there  is  a 
huge,  smooth  mound,  of  oval  shape,  which  the  natives  claim 
was  reared  by  the  old  Incas  in  honor  of  some  of  their  divini- 
ties. It  seems  almost  too  enormous  for  such  an  explanation, 
for  it  is  very  much  larger  than  those  of  our  old  Indian  mound- 


24: 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


builders  in  the  Western  United  States.  We  were  favored 
with  a view  of  Cotopaxi  by  moonlight — a magnificent  sight, 
with  its  sides  of  vari-colored  lava,  its  long  patches  of  black 
sand,  and  its  great  fields  of  the  pnrest  white  snow  and  blue 
ice. 

At  daybreak  we  were  off  with  fresh  mules  and  a mounted 
horse,  attached  to  our  team  simply  by  his  tail  as  leader,  and 
in  this  odd  manner  he  proved  a powerful  aid.  We  had  a 
long  and  weary  ascent,  and  then  began  gradually  to  descend 
into  a beautiful  green  valley  that  bore  quite  a resemblance  to 
valleys  that  may  be  found  in  the  northern  part  of  England. 
There  were  smooth,  velvety  meadows,  well-cultivated  fields, 
and  hedge-rows  for  fences.  We  breakfasted  in  the  vestibule 
of  a native  inn  with  this  lovely  scene  before  us,  and  then 
hurried  on  to  the  end  of  our  journey.  The  road  was  now 
paved,  and  we  had  another  long  and  winding  ascent,  and  then 
the  number  of  pack-trains  we  met,  the  number  of  natives 
traveling  on  their  prancing  and  caracoling  steeds,  and  the 
more  frequent  collections  of  huts,  betokened  our  near  ap- 
proach to  the  capital  Before  .us  rose  the  volcano  of  Pichin- 
cha,  the  summit  of  which  is  only  five  hours’  travel  from  the 
metropolis,  while  away  to  the  right  loomed  the  double-domed 
Antisana  and  square- topped  Cayambi.  Not  long  afterward 
faintly  appeared  the  red  roofs  and  white  walls  of  Quito,  and 
soon  we  were  rattling  through  the  Indian  suburbs  and  along 
the  narrow  streets  of  low,  two-story  houses,  their  little  bal- 
conies full  of  people  to  see  the  coach  pass — the  great  event  of 
the  week.  I bore  a letter  of  introduction  to  a Danish  gentle- 
man, who  had  been  ten  years  in  Quito,  where  he  had  made  a 
large  fortune  as  a druggist.  This  gentleman  very  kindly  en- 
gaged for  me  two  large  rooms  on  one  of  the  principal  streets, 
with  a native  boy  to  take  care  of  them  and  to  bring  me  coffee 
and  rolls  early  in  the  morning.  For  the  more  substantial 
meals  of  breakfast  and  dihner  he  offered  me  a seat  with  a 
party  of  English  and  French  speaking  friends,  at  the  best  res- 
taurant of  the  city,  a French  establishment.  When  one  has 
not  his  own  cook,  this  is  the  ap proved  method  of  living,  there 


OVER  THE  CORDILLERA. 


25 


being  no  hotel  as  we  understand  the  terra — that  is,  no  place 
where  both  rooms  and  meals  are  furnished.  For  use  of  the 
restaurant  I had  to  pay  one  dollar,  for  my  rooms  two  dollars  per 
day.  The  latter  were  large  and  well  furnished,  according  to 
the  Spanish,  or,  more  precisely,  Ecuadorian  idea  of  comfort 
and  elegance.  In  my  parlor  there  was  a lavish  display  of 
glass-ware,  porcelain  vases,  trinkets,  and  paper  flowers.  There 
were  as  many  as  five  small  tables  in  the  room.  Two  large 
windows  opened  upon  balconies  overlooking  the  street.  The 
bedroom  had  but  one  window,  filled  with  iron  bars  like  a 
prison-cell,  and  open  toward  the  court-yard.  A noticeable 
feature  of  the  doors  was  their  enormous  locks,  with  keys  four 
inches  long  and  weighing  a pound  or  more.  Since,  on  ac- 
count of  the  petty  thieving  prevalent,  the  rooms  must  be 
kept  locked,  the  carrying  of  one  of  these  Bastile  rivals  be- 
comes almost  necessary,  though  exceedingly  irksome.  A 
stone  staircase  from  the  street,  and  a brick-paved  corridor, 
ornamented  with  flowers,  gave  access  to  the  rooms. 

At  last  I am  settled  in  Quito,  just  three  weeks  and  two 
days  from  the  time  of  leaving  New  York  city — one  day  being 
spent  in  Panama  and  two  days  in  Guayaquil.  The  time  occu- 
pied on  the  journey  from  Guayaquil  to  the  capital  was  seven 
days,  and  the  distance  thus  traversed  about  two  hundred 
miles.  Here  in  Quito,  before  I set  out  to  make  any  special 
study  of  the  place,  I am  struck  by  the  lighter  complexion  of 
the  people  than  of  those  dwelling  nearer  the  coast.  This  is 
explained  by  their  living  at  a greater  altitude  rather  than  by 
their  possessing  purer  strains  of  blood.  The  next  striking 
peculiarity  is  the  dress  of  the  men,  or  perhaps  I should  say 
the  full-dress  of  the  gentlemen,  who  wear  high  black  silk  hats, 
black  broadcloth  frock-coats,  black  kid  gloves,  and  carry  orna- 
mental canes.  These  indications  of  other  and  very  different 
civilizations  seem  about  as  much  out  of  place  as  would  Hin- 
dostanee  turbans  or  Indian  war-plumes.  Always  noticeable 
and  interesting  are  the  horsemen  and  their  beautiful  horses. 
One  hardly  knows  which  to  admire  the  more,  the  perfect  seat 
and  pose  of  the  rider  or  the  perfect  form  and  gait  of  the  animal. 


26 


ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


The  following  day  being  the  Sabbath,  I visited  the  cathe- 
dral, where  high  mass  was  being  celebrated  in  presence  of  the 
archbishop  and  a consistory  of  bishops.  The  cathedral  occu- 
pies one  side  of  the  principal  square,  and  opposite  is  the  pal- 
ace of  the  archbishop.  On  the  north  side  is  the  Capitol,  and 
on  the  remaining  side  the  private  residence  of  an  old  and  very 
wealthy  Spanish  family.  The  plaza  or  square  is  laid  out  with 
flowers  and  shrubs  and  paved  paths,  which  intersect  each  other 
at  a central  stone  fountain.  The  outside  view  of  the  cathe- 
dral is  more  quaint  than  imposing.  There  is  a large  green- 
tiled  dome,  and  a fagade  with  small  windows  and  a piazza. 
The  doors  are  covered  with  carvings  and  huge  metal  bosses. 
Inside  the  flooring  is  of  brick,  while  the  roof  is  of  carved 
wood  richly  gilded  or  painted  red.  A number  of  very  large 
paintings  of  no  great  merit  cover  the  walls.  The  altar  dis- 
played the  usual  tawdry  collection  of  flowers,  candles,  pict- 
ures, and  effigies,  and  the  stalls  of  the  bishops  were  ranged 
about  it  in  horseshoe-form.  As  is  usual  in  all  churches,  both 
Protestant  and  Catholic,  the  greater  number  of  the  worship- 
ers were  women,  though  here  they  were  of  every  shade  of 
color  and  of  every  social  grade.  Some  of  the  upper-class 
young  girls  were  pretty,  though  I looked  in  vain  for  the  rav- 
ishing beauties  I had  been  told  to  expect.  Their  stature  is 
rather  below  the  average  of  their  "North  American  sisters. 
They  wore  red  or  blue  dresses,  high-heeled  kid  slippers  shod 
with  metal,  and  always  the  picturesque  black  shawl  or  man- 
tilla, richly  embroidered  in  silk,  and,  though  worn  coquet- 
tislily  over  the  head,  yet  not  concealing  the  face,  which  fre- 
quently displayed  traces  of  paint  and  always  of  powder. 
Pings  adorned  their  fingers,  but  no  other  jewelry  was  visi- 
ble. The  elder  women  were  clothed  wholly  in  somber  black, 
and  frequently  covered  all  the  face  save  the  eyes.  These 
women  had  doubtless  outlived  their  beauty.  Almost  every 
woman  carried  a prayer-book,  and  a prayer- cloth  or  stool  on 
which  to  kneel.  Occasionally  these  necessary  articles  would 
be  borne  by  a servant.  The  women  wear  neither  hats  nor 
gloves.  The  gentlemen,  in  addition  to  the  dark  clothes  al- 


OVER  TEE  CORDILLERA. 


27 


ready  spoken  of,  wore  black  cloaks  of  a fashion  that  remind- 
ed me  of  the  conventional  “ heavy  villain  ” in  the  theatres  at 
home.  This  resemblance  was  increased  by  the  flashing  black 
eyes,  fierce  mustache,  or  forked  beard.  I could  not  avoid 
observing  the  democratic  footing  of  the  congregation.  The 
dirtiest  poncho- covered  Indian  jostled  thp  most  aristocratic 
cloth-cloaked  hidalgo , the  daintiest  sehomias  and  the  women 
who  tend  cattle  knelt  together  in  the  same  chapels.  A fine 
organ,  artistically  handled,  and  a competent  choir,  furnished 
the  sensuous  music  always  provided  in  Catholic  churches. 
As  I left  the  cathedral  a battalion  of  native  troops  passed  on 
its  way  to  the  Jesuit  church,  and  I followed.  The  Ecua- 
dorian army  numbers  about  a thousand  men  and  boys,  part 
stationed  in  Guayaquil  and  a part  in  the  capital.  The  troops 
are  neatly  uniformed  in  blue  cloth  with  red  facings  and  trim- 
mings, and  armed  with  old  Remington  rifles.  Many  of  the 
cartridge-boxes  also  came  originally  from  the  same  place,  and 
were  plainly  marked  “ IJ.  S.”  The  battalion  was  largely  com- 
posed of  boys,  marshaled  without  any  reference  to  size.  It 
was  preceded  by  a brass  band  of  about  thirty  instrumentalists 
and  was  followed  by  about  twenty  buglers.  The  step  was 
very  quick,  and  the  band  played  very  fair  music,  which 
sounded  comparatively  fine  as  it  reverberated  through  the 
arches  of  the  church.  This  church  has  a remarkably  hand- 
some carved  facade.  It  is  about  the  only  example  of  really 
beautiful  stone  carving  remaining  in  Quito.  The  great 
wooden  doors  are  also  elaborately  carved,  though  in  a more 
modern  style  than  the  fagade.  The  altar  is  very  massively 
and  richly  gilded,  and  the  walls  of  the  nave  are  ornamented 
with  raised  tile-work  pictures  which  are  very  effective  as  seen 
from  below.  Rear  the  door  is  a remarkable  picture  of  the 
tortures  of  hell.  Lucifer  is  seen  sitting  in  state  upon  his  hell- 
hounds, and  directs  the  infernal  proceedings.  The  offense 
of  each  victim  is  painted  in  plain  letters  near  him.  The 
tortures  consist  in  being  devoured  by  various  animals,  pierced 
by  knives,  in  being  made  to  swallow  melted  lead,  and  in 
other  ingenious  inventions  of  delirious  cruelty. 


CHAPTER  I Y. 


QUITO — PARADISE  OF  PRIESTS. 

The  system  of  the  Andes  is  the  longest  in  the  world, 
though  not  the  highest,  that  being  the  Himalaya.  The 
Andes  lie  in  parallel  ranges,  which  inclose  elevated  valleys. 
This  plateau  and  mountain  section  are  from  one  hundred  to 
two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in  width.  Quito  lies  nearly  at 
the  northern  extremity  of  a valley,  or,  more  properly,  of  an 
elevated  plateau,  which  extends  from  the  borders  of  Peru  to 
the  United  States  of  Colombia,  a distance  of  about  four  hun- 
dred miles.  This  plateau,  which  is  nearly  two  miles  above 
the  sea-level,  has  an  average  width,  throughout,  of  about 
forty  miles,  and  is  shut  in  from  the  rest  of  the  world,  as  it 
were,  by  the  giant  ranges  of  the  Cordillera,  one  of  which  I 
had  crossed  in  my  journey  from  Guayaquil.  Entering  upon 
the  plateau,  I found  a “ right  royal  ” road,  lined  with  gigantic 
sentinels  of  rock  and  ice  and  snow,  many  of  them  the  lofti- 
est and  most  famous  peaks  in  the  world.  From  one  of  the 
neighboring  hills  I obtained  a good  general  view  of  the  city, 
which  slopes  gradually  toward  the  east  and  extends  over  the 
spurs  of  several  hills  that  cause  very  abrupt  irregularities  of 
surface.  It  is  laid  out  nearly  at  right  angles,  with  neatly 
paved  streets  but  very  narrow  sidewalks.  Each  landholder 
is  obliged  every  day  to  brush  that  part  of  the  public  thor- 
oughfare before  his  property.  lie  is  also  compelled  at  night 
to  display  a candle,  and  with  these  alone  is  the  city  lighted, 
save  in  the  great  square,  where  kerosene-lamps  are  substi- 
tuted. A fine  of  forty  cents  for  each  offense  is  imposed 
upon  those  wrho  neglect  to  sweep  or  illuminate  their  portion 


Professional  Mourners. 


QUITO— PARADISE  OF  PRIESTS.. 


29 


of  the  public  streets.  Quito  has  a decidedly  monotonous  ap- 
pearance as  viewed  from  an  eminence.  There  are  only  three 
or  four  church  edifices  and  towers  to  vary  the  dull  uniform- 
ity of  the  houses ; and  the  streets  themselves,  rarely  more 
than  twenty  feet  in  width,  make  but  slight  marks  of  divis- 
ion. The  roofs  of  most  of  the  houses  project  over  the  nar- 
row sidewalks,  thus  affording  some  shelter  to  pedestrians  in 
the  rainy  season.  The  streets  seem  always  filled  with  people, 
both  on  foot  and  on  horseback,  and  the  m any-colored  ponchos 
worn  produce  a gay  effect.  Several  of  the  more  wealthy 
residents  possess  carriages.  I saw  the  President  and  his  fam- 
ily taking  the  air  in  an  elegant  barouche,  and  the  Vice-Presi- 
dent walking  in  the  conventional  funeral  black  which  seems 
so  incongruous  in  such  a latitude,  with  such  primitive  sur- 
roundings. The  climate  of  Quito,  which  lies  nearly  under 
the  equator,  is  delightful — a spring  the  year  round. 

One  morning  I visited  one  of  the  cemeteries,  where  the 
poor  are  consigned  to  the  ground  and  the  rich  inclosed  in 
mural  vaults  or  niches,  as  in  Italy  and  other  European  coun- 
tries. I found  a great  excavation  in  the  hill-side,  which  had 
been  bricked  around  and  arranged  in  three  terraces  of  niches, 
each  of  the  latter  numbered  and  just  large  enough  to  hold  a 
coffin.  When  the  bodies  are  thus  disposed  of,  the  tombs  are 
sealed  and  covered  with  the  customary  inscriptions.  Should 
the  rent  for  these  niches  be  in  default  for  two  years,  the  bones 
may  be  removed  from  the  coffins  and  thrown  into  a general 
receptacle  like  a cistern.  I saw  several  coffins  whose  con- 
tents had  been  unceremoniously  disposed  of  in  this  manner. 
One  would  suppose  that  such  a threat  of  ejectment  would 
be  unnecessary  among  people  with  means  above  abject  pov- 
erty, but  I was  informed  that  this  was  not  the  case,  and  that 
frequently  the  bodies  of  the  rich  found  their  way  at  last  to 
the  common  grave.  A neighboring  chapel  is  reserved  for 
masses  for  the  repose  of  the  souls  bodily  represented  in  the 
cemetery.  Near  by  is  a large  brick  building,  filled  with 
cells  in  which  during  Lent  many  of  the  pious  ladies  and  gen- 
tlemen of  Quito  spend  days  in  flagellation  and  other  ascetic 


30 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


practices,  as  a slight  atonement  for  the  frivolities  of  their 
lives  (luring  the  preceding  year. 

Not  far  from  the  cemetery  is  the  penitentiary,  a large 
brick  and  stone  building,  guarded  by  troops,  and  surrounded 
by  a wall  twenty  feet  in  height.  It  was  erected  by  an  Eng- 
lish engineer  a few  years  ago,  and  seems  admirably  adapted 
to  its  purposes.  Six  long  and  narrow  “ wings,”  three  sto- 
ries in  height,  converge  at  a central,  dome-covered  building, 
whence  the  guards  may  have  a clear  view  of  all  that  is  pass- 
ing in  them.  One  building  is  reserved  for  women.  Alto- 
gether there  are  some  five  hundred  cells,  which  average 
eight  by  five  feet  in  size,  with  brick  floors  and  small  barred  win- 
dows. During  times  of  revolution  the  prisoners  are  largely 
of  a political  type,  but  ordinarily  they  are  confined  for  theft 
and  murder.  The  murders  are  often  the  results  of  street 
brawls  committed  under  the  influence  of  liquor.  The  wom- 
en, strange  to  say,  are  imprisoned  for  similar  crimes.  The 
men,  as  with  us,  are  obliged  to  work  out  their  salvation  with 
some  trade,  such  as  candle-making,  tailoring,  and  carpenter- 
ing. As  an  illustration  of  the  extraordinary  changes  of  for- 
tune seen  every  day  in  Ecuador,  the  officer  who  showed  me 
through  the  penitentiary  was  once  himself  confined  in  it  and 
for  the  grave  crime  of  murder.  He  had  struck  a man,  who 
had  died  from  the  effects  of  the  blow.  He  was  tried,  but 
finally  pardoned,  and  is  now  in  possession  of  an  easy  situation, 
with  a comfortable  salary.  The  natives  take  such  and  simi- 
lar changes  of  fortune  very  philosophically.  To-day  a man 
may  be  a colonel  in  the  army,  a recognized  position,  with 
good  pay  ; to-morrow  a revolution  puts  the  party  to  which 
he  belongs  out  of  power,  and  he  suddenly  finds  himself  a no- 
body, without  rank  and  without  money.  He,  however,  does 
not  repine.  He  smokes  his  cigarettes,  he  wears  smart 
clothes,  he  struts  as  proudly  as  before,  and  patiently  awaits 
his  opportunity.  It  may  be  ten  years  before  this  comes,  but 
time  is  no  object  to  him,  and  he  is  almost  certain  to  get  to 
the  top  again.  An  Ecuadorian  is  apt  to  experience  many 
such  strange  bufferings  of  Fate.  In  returning  to  the  city 


QUITO— PARADISE  OF  PRIESTS. 


31 


I passed  a large  market  held  in  one  of  the  principal  squares. 
The  people  were  mostly  Indians,  covered  with  gay-colored 
ponchos , who  had  brought  upon  their  donkeys  produce  of  all 
kinds  from  the  neighboring  farms.  There  was  a great  quan- 
tity of  grain  and  vegetables,  not  so  large  a supply  of  fruit, 
and  bnt  comparatively  little  meat.  The  people  squatted 
upon  the  ground,  with  their  supplies  grouped  about  them. 
Everything  was  sold  by  bulk,  either  in  simple  handfuls  or 
in  basketfuls.  Nothing  was  weighed.  The  principal  prod- 
ucts were  wheat,  barley,  maize,  beans,  potatoes,  guavas, 
oranges,  and  apricots. 

The  next  day  I visited  first  the  Capitol,  a long,  columned 
structure  of  brick  and  stucco,  situated  upon  the  northern 
side  of  the  grand  square.  On  the  ground  floor  are  common 
wine-shops,  on  the  second  the  post  and  telegraph  offices,  and 
on  the  third  the  two  halls  of  Congress.  The  Senate-cham- 
ber is  a small,  plain  room,  ornamented  by  a few  portraits, 
with  a double  row  of  benches  facing  each  other  and  extend- 
ing to  a simple  tribunal  covered  with  red  cloth.  Two  sena- 
tors are  elected  from  each  province,  making  a total  of  twen- 
ty-five. The  representatives  sit  in  a larger  and  if  possible 
even  plainer  room.  The  arrangement  of  benches  is  the  same, 
and  the  number  of  their  occupants  sixty.  The  Ecuadorian 
Congress  is  in  session  for  only  two  months  every  year.  In 
the  left  wing  of  the  Capitol  is  the  office  of  the  President  of 
the  Republic.  I was  so  fortunate  as  to  be  presented  to  him, 
to  the  Yice-President  and  to  the  Minister  of  War,  being  first 
kept  waiting  a few  moments  in  an  antechamber,  and  then 
ushered  before  these  magnates  by  an  aide-de-camp  in  brilliant 
uniform.  The  room  was  long  and  narrow,  with  crystal 
chandeliers,  heavy  draperies  at  the  windows,  an  ordinary 
carpet  on  the  floor,  mirrors,  book-cases,  and  tables  in  the  cor- 
ners, maps  and  pictures  upon  the  walls,  and  a large  oil-paint- 
ing of  the  Virgin  Mary  opposite  the  seat  of  the  President. 
That  gentleman,  upon  my  entrance,  rose  and  cordially  shook 
hands  with  me.  His  name  was  J.  M.  P.  Caamano.  lie  was 
a medium-sized  man,  with  mustache  and  side-whiskers,  dressed 


32  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


in  black,  and  with  a very  pleasant  expression  and  engaging 
manner.  He  asked  me  man}7  questions  about  my  proposed 
journey  in  South  America,  made  suggestions  concerning  that 
portion  of  it  relating  to  Ecuador,  offered  to  assist  me  in  any 
way  in  his  power,  and  concluded  with  a special  invitation  to 
his  honse.  The  President  of  Ecuador  is  elected  for  four  years, 
and  his  salary  per  year  is  twenty-four  thousand  dollars  of  the 
Bank  of  Quito,  or  about  twelve  thousand  of  American  money. 
The  terms  of  office  of  the  presidents  of  the  South  American 
republics  vary,  though  four  years  is  the  general  limit ; in 
Chili  it  is  five  years,  while  in  the  Argentine  Republic  and 
Colombia  it  is  six  years.  The  only  republic  in  the  world 
that  holds  a presidential  election  every  other  year  is  Vene- 
zuela. President  Caamano  is  a very  rich  man,  owning  large 
sugar  and  cacao  plantations.  He  is  patriotic  beyond  the  Ecua- 
dorian measure,  and  devotes  the  greater  part  of  his  salary  to 
education  and  other  methods  of  furthering  the  enlighten- 
ment of  his  people.  Though  fully  conscious  of  the  value  of 
a liberal  movement,  he  is,  by  force  of  circumstances,  a con- 
servative in  his  methods.  He  has,  however,  but  little  per- 
sonal power,  and  all  his  acts  must  be  ratified  by  Congress  in 
order  to  become  laws.  There  have  been  several  revolutions 
in  Ecuador  since  my  visit,  and  during  one  of  these  President 
Caamano  was  obliged  to  flee  from  the  capital  to  Guayaquil, 
and  one  of  his  aides  was  shot  down  at  his  side. 

There  are  very  many  monasteries  in  Quito,  and  one  of 
them,  that  of  San  Francisco,  is  perhaps  the  largest  in  the 
world.  With  its  church  it  occupies  an  entire  square,  and 
has,  besides,  rich  farms  in  the  neighboring  country,  upon 
which  it  depends  for  its  revenue.  Within  the  city  establish- 
ment were  many  quadrangular  buildings  inclosing  fine  gar- 
dens, with  flowers  and  fountains,  where  the  friars  take  exer- 
cise and  into  which  they  may  look  from  their  cells.  The  ad- 
joining corridors  are  hung  with  rows  of  paintings  of  all  sorts 
of  biblical  legends  and  myths  of  the  early  Catholic  Church. 
The  friars  of  this  convent  wear  a yellowish-white  cowl  and 
cassock.  Walking  about  were  many  young  boys  who  were 


President  Caamano . 


QUITO— PARADISE  OF  PRIESTS. 


33 


studying  for  the  priesthood,  fourteen  years’  novitiate  being 
necessary  to  attain  that  dignity.  I climbed  the  tower  to  see 
the  bells,  one  of  which  was  very  old  and  very  large.  It  was 
suspended  from  two  immense  beams  by  about  a hundred 
doublings  of  a bull’s- hide  rope.  There  were  half  a dozen 
other  bells  of  varying  sizes  and  tones.  These  were  all  beaten 
from  without.  In  Quito  all  day  long  the  bells  are  kept  jing- 
ling or  tolling  for  some  religious  ceremony  or  other,  in  some 
one  of  its  score  of  churches,  and  to  this  are  frequently  added 
the  braying  of  bugles  and  the  din  of  military  bands.  It  is  a 
veritable  paradise  of  priests — there  are  said  to  be  over  four 
hundred  in  the  city — but  something  of  a pandemonium  for 
the  laity.  Bishops  and  priests  and  friars  are  always  to  be 
seen  upon  the  streets.  The  bishops  walk  slowly  along,  be- 
stowing their  blessings  right  and  left,  or  giving  their  great 
seal-rings  or  gloved  hands  to  be  kissed  by  the  simple-minded 
Indians,  who  kneel  at  the  curbstone  in  such  numbers  as  al- 
most to  block  the  travel  and  traffic  of  the  street.  It  is  very 
largely  the  contributions  of  the  poor  Indians  which  support 
the  ecclesiastical  institutions.  This  contingent  is  always  pres- 
ent in  great  numbers  in  the  churches  and  is  the  most  devout 
among  the  devout.  It  greatly  delights  in  the  external  pomp 
and  parade  of  religion,  and  superstitiously  venerates  ecclesi- 
astics of  all  denominations. 

The  copying  of  old  religious  paintings  is  a special  industry 
of  Quito.  1 visited  one  of  the  artists,  who  is  so  famous  that 
he  does  not  depend  for  his  bread  upon  saints  sold  by  the 
square  foot,  but  also  paints  landscapes  aud  portraits  in  a very 
creditable  fashion.  All  work  of  this  sort  is  remarkably  cheap. 
A capital  life-size  portrait  may  be  had  for  twelve  dollars, 
American  gold ; while  huge  copies  of  old  theological  master- 
pieces may  be  obtained  for  one  dollar  and  upward,  literally 
being  sold  by  the  area.  Effigies  of  the  Virgin  Mary  and  the 
saints,  carved  in  wood  and  covered  with  lace  embroidery,  are 
also  numbered  among  Quito  manufactures  ; but  neither  dis- 
play much  taste  in  design  or  cleverness  in  execution.  A lost 
art  is  that  of  marquetry,  a kind  of  mosaic,  executed  in  hard 
3 


34: 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


and  curiously  grained  wood,  and  other  material,  inlaid  and 
arranged  in  an  infinite  variety  of  patterns.  A rich  gentleman 
whom  I visited  had  all  the  furniture  of  his  library  of  this 
kind  of  workmanship.  The  basic  structure  was  a dark  wood 
resembling  polished  mahogany,  and  the  figures  and  orna- 
mental work  were  of  a lighter  colored  wood  like  maple. 
There  were  designs  combining  plants  and  animals,  very  beau- 
tiful arabesques,  and  fancy  borders  of  all  sorts.  This  style  of 
furniture  is  of  course  very  valuable. 

Only  three  European  ministers  reside  in  Quito — the  Papal 
nuncio  and  the  representatives  of  France  and  England. 
America  is  not  even  represented  by  a charge  d'affaires , 
though  at  Guayaquil  we  have  a consul-general,  who  visits  the 
capital  when  necessary.  No  American  interests  need  atten- 
tion in  Quito,  and  few  American  ships  visit  Guayaquil. 
About  fifty  foreigners  do  business  in  Quito — French,  Ital- 
ians, and  Germans.  A foreigner  is  exempt  from  taxation, 
and  not  only  is  freely  allowed  to  establish  himself  in  business 
and  make  all  the  money  he  can,  but  is  generally  courted  by 
native  society  and  treated  with  great  deference.  Most  of 
the  resident  foreigners  are  either  wealthy  or  on  the  road  to 
wealth.  The  natives  are  too  apathetic  to  successfully  com- 
pete with  them  in  any  kind  of  business,  and  the  Indians  are 
still  worse  than  the  creoles.  A friend  of  mine  long  resident 
in  Quito  told  me  that  once,  on  returning  from  a morning  ride 
in  the  country,  his  horse  floundered  into  a deep  mud-hole, 
and,  not  being  able  by  any  means  to  extricate  him,  he  feel- 
ingly appealed  to  some  Indians  who  w^ere  passing  to  lend 
their  assistance.  The  natives  merely  laughed  at  him,  and 
said  that  they  must  be  off  on  their  way  to  Quito.  He  offered 
them  fifty  cents  apiece,  but  they  paid  no  attention,  and 
started  off.  Seeing  this,  he  became  desperate  and  fell  upon 
them  with  his  horse-whip.  This  had  the  desired  effect,  and 
his  horse  was  saved.  “ You  see,”  he  concluded,  “ the  native 
does  not  understand  or  appreciate  kindness.  A request,  in 
order  to  receive  attention,  must  be  accompanied  by  hard 
words  and  often  by  a blow.”  Foreigners  generally  invest 


QUITO— PARADISE  OF  PRIESTS. 


35 


their  earnings  in  real  estate,  the  value  of  which  in  a country 
of  chronic  revolutionary  tendencies,  fluctuates  less  than  that 
of  any  other  form  of  investment.  As  there  is  a Bank  of 
Ecuador  at  Guayaquil,  so  there  is  a Bank  of  Quito  at  the 
capital,  and  both  are  chartered  by  the  state.  The  bills,  which 
are  usually  of  one  and  five  pesos,  or  native  dollars,  in  value, 
are  small  and  very  tastefully  engraved  by  the  American  Bank- 
Note  Company  of  New  York.  But  strange  to  relate,  the 
paper  money  of  the  bank  at  the  sea-coast — the  chief  port  of 
Ecuador,  and  only  five  days’  travel  from  Quito — is  at  a pre- 
mium of  twenty-five  per  cent  in  the  certificates  of  the  bank  in 
the  interior,  while  the  bills  of  the  latter  do  not  pass  current 
in  Guayaquil.  I think  this  difference  between  capital  and 
seaport  of  the  same  country  is  quite  unparalleled.  In  such  a 
wretched  and  moribund  condition  is  the  currency,  that  there 
are  what  they  call  hard  and  soft  dollars  in  Quito,  the  former 
having  one  hundred  cents  and  the  latter  but  eighty.  So  poor 
or  so  dishonorable  is  the  Government,  that  it  is  either  unable 
or  unwilling  to  pay  the  comparatively  small  sum  of  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  thousand  dollars  which  it  owes  the  Bank  of 
Quito.  It  may  be  said  to  be  totally  bankrupt.  It  of  course 
promises  ; but  natives  are  not  misled  by  these  half  as  much 
as  are  the  sanguine  and  trusting  foreigners.  The  foreign  debt 
of  Ecuador  is  about  two  million  dollars,  and  this  is  mostly 
held  by  English  capitalists.  A great  deal  of  the  silver  of 
Quito  does  not  pass  current  in  Guayaquil.  Much  counter- 
feit money  has  to  be  guarded  against,  and  coins  of  certain 
dates,  containing  excessive  alloy,  are  refused.  Colombian 
.money  is  accepted  only  at  a discount,  and  Bolivian  silver 
not  at  all.  It  is  hard  to  prognosticate  how  far  the  paper 
money  of  Quito  may  depreciate.  At  the  time  of  my  visit 
forty-three  dollars  of  it  were  gladly  exchanged  for  a United 
States  twenty-dollar  gold-piece.  The  occupations  of  foreign- 
ers in  Ecuador  are  naturally  diverse.  Several  of  them  are 
engaged  to  build  railways  and  highways  for  the  Government, 
others  own  cacao-plantations,  but  most  are  employed  as  retail 
merchants  in  the  capital.  The  drug  business  is  one  of  the 


36 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


most  lucrative.  No  foreign  physicians  are  discovered  in 
Quito,  but  native  ones  abound.  These  send  their  patients 
with  prescriptions  to  the  drug-stores,  where  their  wants  are 
attended  to,  but  no  boxes  or  bottles  are  supplied.  Each  cus- 
tomer must  bring  all  such  articles  from  home.  No  accounts 
are  kept ; it  is  a strictly  cash  business.  But,  even  if  you  have 
money,  you  can  not  always  use  it.  In  sending  a telegram  I 
had  to  pay  in  postage -stamps,  that  being  the  singular  rule  of 
the  Government  office.  On  the  telegraph  blank  a warning 
was  printed  that  no  dispatches  which  might  offend  morals 
would  be  received.  I was  greatly  relieved  when  mine  was 
accepted. 


CHAPTER  V. 


BREAKFASTING  IN  AN  ACTIVE  VOLCANO. 

The  residence  of  the  English  minister,  situated  upon  the 
outskirts  of  the  city,  X found  a pleasant  retreat.  A lofty 
wall  with  a peak  of  tiles  incloses  beautiful  gardens  of  trees, 
shrubs,  flowers,  and  walks.  The  adobe  house,  two  stories  in 
height,  occupies  three  sides  of  a quadrangle,  upon  which  the 
gate  immediately  opens.  Here  in  the  court-yard  a fountain 
plays,  a monkey  swings  from  a long  hide  rope,  beautiful 
peacocks  spread  their  tails  in  extremest  pride,  a huge  stuffed 
condor  and  other  birds  adorn  the  piazza-posts,  antlers  gleam 
from  the  walls,  and  cheery  glimpses  are  had  of  office  and 
dining-room  on  one  side,  and  of  parlor  and  bedrooms  on  the 
other.  Like  so  many  other  Englishmen,  the  minister  is  de- 
voted to  outdoor  sports,  as  guns  and  dogs,  whips  and  spurs, 
and  a lawn-tennis  court  abundantly  testified. 

Quito  is  well  supplied  with  a hospital ; for,  notwith- 
standing the  fact  that  its  climate  is  so  nearly  perfect — like 
the  month  of  May  in  the  Northern  United  States — yet  so 
great  are  the  changes  from  the  hot  sun  of  midday  to  the 
chills  of  evening,  that  pneumonia  and  other  lung  and  also 
throat  troubles  are  very  prevalent.  Upon  entering  a gentle- 
man’s house,  I was  always  advised  to  retain  my  hat,  and  it  is 
not  customary  for  gentlemen  calling  in  the  evening  to  re- 
move their  cloaks.  The  hospital  has  about  five  hundred 
beds.  It  is  under  the  direction  of  French  Sisters  of  Charity. 
There  are  also  a lunatic  asylum  and  a retreat  for  lepers.  The 
lunatics  are  well  cared  for,  having  comfortable  cells  and 
suitable  food.  The  lepers,  though  of  course  housed  by  them- 


38 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


selves,  are  allowed  to  marry.  They  were  a piteously  hor- 
rible-looking set,  who  leered  and  grinned  at  me  behind  the 
barred  windows.  There  is  an  observatory  in  Quito,  well 
supplied  with  instruments  of  good  quality,  but  it  lacks  a 
director,  and  no  astronomical  work  is  at  present  being  done. 
A large  theatre  is  in  process  of  erection.  The  rich  men  of 
the  capital  prefer  sending  their  children  to  Paris  or  London 
to  obtain  education,  though  Quito  owns  a college.  The 
court-yard  of  this  building  is  tilled  with  flowers,  surrounding 
a central  fountain,  and  the  students  may  be  seen  walking  up 
and  down  the  corridors  repeating  their  lessons  aloud.  The 
library  consists  mostly  of  old  books  in  Spanish,  Latin,  and 
French.  The  museum  contains  a small  collection  of  stuffed 
animals,  insects,  minerals,  shells,  and  corals.  There  is  a good 
chemical  laboratory. 

In  company  with  a Quito  friend  and  an  Indian  guide, 
I made  a visit  of  a couple  of  days  to  the  celebrated  peak  of 
Pichincha,  which  has  the  deepest  crater  and  is  the  highest 
continuously  active  volcano  in  the  world.  It  is  not  visible 
from  the  capital,  but  maybe  reached  by  five  hours’  ride  to  the 
west.  Pichincha,  in  the  Indian  language,  signifies  the  a boil- 
ing mountain.”  Leaving  the  city  in  the  late  afternoon,  we 
rode  about  half  the  distance  to  the  summit,  over  several  of 
the  minor  ridges  southwest  of  Quito,  and  remained  over- 
night in  a small  farm-house.  At  four  the  next  morning  we 
mounted  our  horses  for  the  remainder  of  the  ascent.  The 
trail  was  exceedingly  steep,  and  slippery  from  recent  rains, 
and  both  of  us  had  disagreeable  and  dangerous  falls.  But, 
as  we  steadily  ascended  ridge  after  ridge,  we  were  rewarded 
by  splendid  views  of  the  valley  and  ranges  of  minor  hills 
behind  us,  and  of  huge  snow-capped  peaks  at  great  distances 
on  every  side.  The  rich  and  fertile  valley  of  Quito  was 
prettily  diversified  with  fields  of  wheat,  barley,  and  clover. 
Here  and  there  were  small  villages,  and  between  them  de- 
tached farm-houses,  each  with  its  little  assemblage  of  out- 
buildings. We  were  soon  above  the  clouds,  which  began  to 
fill  some  of  the  valleys  with  their  silvery  fleece,  which  once 


BREAKFASTING  IN  AN  ACTIVE  VOLCANO.  39 


or  twice  we  mistook  for  a lake  glistening  in  the  morning 
sun.  We  had  passed  beyond  the  zone  of  trees,  and,  entering 
that  of  stunted  shrubs,  saw  just  before  us  nothing  more  of 
life  save  coarse  grass.  Even  up  to  the  very  brim  of  the 
crater  there  were  numbers  of  animal s—rabbits,  humming- 
birds, a few  condors,  and  at  least  one  fox.  The  cone  of  the 
volcano  several  times  loomed  directly  before  us,  but,  as  usu- 
ally happens  in  the  translucent  atmosphere  of  great  altitudes, 
we  seemed  constantly  nearing  without  prospect  of  touching, 
like  the  notorious  asymtote  that  mathematicians  love.  But 
finally  we  succeeded.  The  last  part  of  the  ascent,  though 
very  steep,  may  be  made  by  horses  and  mules  to  the  actual 
edge  of  the  crater.  The  long,  jagged  outline  of  the  summit 
is  composed  of  rough,  bare  rocks,  whitish  sand,  pumice,  and 
ashes.  For  a considerable  distance  below  the  top  we  threaded 
our  way  between  huge  bowlders  and  masses  of  conglomer- 
ated lava — the  field  of  stones  which  all  the  volcanoes  of 
Ecuador  possess  in  common.  We  dismounted  a few  moments 
before  reaching  the  summit,  in  order  to  place  our  saddle- 
horses  in  a sheltered  nook,  but  the  mule  bearing  our  break- 
fast we  led  into  the  crater  with  us. 

The  great  distinguishing  feature  of  Ecuador,  as  of  all  the 
other  countries  on  the  west  coast  of  South  America,  is  the 
gigantic  mountain  system.  Before  leaving  home  I erred,  I 
think,  in  company  with  many  others,  in  my  general  idea  of 
the  arrangement  and  appearance  of  the  Andes.  I imagined, 
as  with  the  Himalayas,  that  there  were  long  ranges  of  snow- 
crested  mountains,  from  which  occasionally  arose  the  peaks 
celebrated  in  geography  and  history.  But  this  is  wrong,  at 
least  in  so  far  as  the  peaks  of  Ecuador  are  concerned,  for  her 
ranges  are  rarely  topped  with  snow,  and  are,  comparatively 
speaking,  low,  while  the  loftiest  summits  are  almost  univers- 
ally isolated.  Hence  the  astonishing  yet  charming  effect 
produced  by  low  ranges  of  green  hills,  above  and  far  beyond 
which  appear,  at  almost  every  angle  of  the  compass,  the 
glistening  cones  or  domes  or  jagged  points  of  world-famous 
peaks.  It  is  said  that  in  some  places  the  Andes  are  sinking, 


40 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


and,  if  so,  a connection  may  be  hypothetically  traced  be- 
tween the  frequent  earthquakes  and  certain  of  these  subsi- 
dences. The  city  of  Quito  is  known  to  have  sunk  twenty- 
six  feet  in  one  hundred  and  twenty-two  years  ; the  peak  of 
Pichincha  two  hundred  and  eighteen  feet  in  the  same  time ; 
and  the  farm  of  Antisana,  one  of  the  highest  of  human  habi- 
tations, one  hundred  and  sixty -five  feet  in  sixty -four  years. 
The  squeezing  of  the  crust  of  the  earth  produced  by  such 
shrinkages  must  cause  violent  dislocations  in  the  surrounding 
regions.  Hence  the  earthquakes  that  appall  the  world. 

The  air  was  clear  as  crystal,  and  the  firmament  of  a very 
delicate  deep  blue.  In  view  was  a half-circle  of  great, 
snow-capped  mountains,  their  giant  flanks  rising  from  vel- 
vety green  pastures  and  enormous  fields  of  yellow  grain.  In 
the  eastern  Cordillera  stood  first,  beginning  at  the  south,  the 
terrible  volcano  of  Sangai.  Then  came  tapering  Cotopaxi, 
saddle-shaped  Antisana,  rugged  Sincholagua,  and  square- 
topped  Cayambi  streaked  with  snow  over  its  dark  rocks, 
nearly  twenty  thousand  feet  in  height,  and  standing  exactly 
on  the  equator.  In  the  western  Cordillera,  nearer  at  hand, 
we  had  a momentary  glance  at  Chimborazd,  as  this  leviathan 
disclosed  his  face.  The  much  smaller  but  neighboring  peak, 
Carahuirazo,  called  the  wife  of  Chimborazo,  came  next,  and 
then  jagged  Iliniza;  while  conical  Cotacache  approached 
close  to  Pichincha.  Within  a radius  of  fifty  miles  from 
Quito,  and  all  visible  on  a clear  morning  from  the  summit  of 
Pichincha,  are  a score  of  Andean  monarchs,  whose  names, 
however,  are  not  as  well  known  as  those  just  mentioned. 

It  would  be  easy  to  give,  in  barometrical,  linear,  and  geo- 
metrical measurements,  exact  details  of  Pichincha,  defining 
its  topography  ; but  the  impression  of  a first  view  is  more 
difficult  to  be  conveyed  in  writing.  Even  with  the  assist- 
ance of  a quotation  from  Dante’s  “ Inferno  ” (always  a stock 
reference  in  describing  volcanoes),  the  task  is  not  easy.  The 
highest  crest  of  the  mountain  is  nearly  sixteen  thousand  feet 
above  sea-level,  and  the  crater  itself  being  about  twenty- 
five  hundred  feet  deep,  its  bottom  is  still  four  thousand 


BREAKFASTING  IN  AN  ACTIVE  VOLCANO.  41 


feet  above  Quito.  There  is,  however,  no  fear  of  a flow  upon 
the  capital,  should  another  great  eruption  occur,  for  a vast 
rent  toward  the  west  opens  upon  the  fertile  Ecuadorian  prov- 
ince of  Esmeraldas,  into  which  the  contents  of  the  volcano 
would  undoubtedly  make  their  escape.  The  crater,  as  it  may 
at  present  be  viewed,  is  about  one  mile  in  diameter  at  top, 
and  perhaps  fifteen  hundred  feet  at  bottom.  This  great 
gulf  is  an  imposing  and  awful  sight.  The  precipices  of 
gray  and  reddish  trachyte,  the  gigantic  crags  with  knife- 
like edges,  the  sulphur  banks,  the  yellow  aud  white  sand,  the 
black  rugged  cliffs,  and  the  heaps  of  scoriae,  make  a weird 
picture  not  readily  forgotten.  Near  one  corner  springs  a 
small  river  which  was  once  strong  enough  to  tear  its  way 
through  the  rim  of  the  crater  and  rush  forth,  a mad  mount- 
ain torrent,  toward  freedom  and  the  Pacific.  The  chief  signs 
of  life  on  the  occasion  of  my  visit  were  the  steam  issuing 
from  fissures,  and  a powerful  odor  of  sulphur  as  the  wind 
wafted  it  toward  me  from  time  to  time.  The  descent  into 
the  abyss  is  perilous  and  laborious,  as  its  steep  sides — stand- 
ing mostly  at  an  angle  of  forty -five  degrees — are  largely  com- 
posed of  loose  rocks  and  sand,  so  that  the  dislodging  of  a sin- 
gle small  stone  may  produce  something  more  than  a minia- 
ture avalanche.  After  a leisurely  breakfast  down  in  the 
crater,  away  from  the  wind,  we  proceeded  to  inspect  special 
parts.  About  the  highest  pinnacles  snow  is  always  found  in 
the  clefts  of  the  rocks.  This  is  carried  to  Quito  and  utilized 
in  the  preparation  of  ice-cream.  We  left  the  crater  at  ten 
o’clock  and,  after  a hard  ride,  reached  Quito  at  two  in  the 
afternoon. 

On  July  13th  I left  Quito  on  my  return  journey  to 
Guayaquil.  I took  the  coach  as  far  as  Ambato,  where  I was 
fortunate  enough  to  be  invited  to  join  a party  of  Ecuado- 
rians who  were  also  going  down  to  the  seaport.  The  native 
method  of  riding  is  more  amusing  than  tiresome.  They  go 
at  a gallop  for  about  an  hour,  when  a halt  of  ten  minutes  is 
made,  in  which  to  drink  a small  cup  of  sweetened  spirits  and 
to  smoke  cigarettes  or  cigars.  Before  we  reached  Chuqui- 


42 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


poyo  it  had  become  quite  dark  and  was  raining  heavily,  but 
our  break-neck  speed  was  not  a bit  slackened.  It  was  a novel 
experience  to  be  riding  at  a gallop,  and  not  able  even  to  see 
your  horse’s  ears.  The  next  morning  we  started  before  day- 
light for  G-uaranda,  a town  on  the  opposite  side  of  Chimbo- 
razo, over  a spur  of  which,  fourteen  thousand  feet  in  height, 
it  was  necessary  for  us  to  pass.  Once  we  lost  our  way,  but, 
dawn  breaking,  soon  found  it  again.  It  was  a long  and 
dreary  ride  over  barren  wastes  and  grassy  slopes,  up  and 
down,  on,  on,  seemingly  without  end.  The  wind  on  the 
flanks  of  Chimborazo  sometimes  blows  with  the  force  of  a 
hurricane,  but  we  were  fortunate  in  experiencing  a mist, 
which  prevented  the  wind,  but  also  obscured  the  sun.  We 
reached  the  town  of  Guaranda  just  before  the  beginning  of  a 
tropical  rain  of  the  most  extraordinary  violence  I have  ever 
seen.  The  streets  suddenly  became  rivers,  and  it  was  im- 
possible for  us  to  continue  our  journey  until  morning.' 

We  soon  reached  the  beautiful  and  justly  famed  valley  of 
Chimbo,  with  its  fertile  fields  of  varying  shades,  and  now  we 
had  left  behind  the  great  snow-fields  of  Chimborazo,  shining 
serenely  in  their  dazzling  whiteness.  After  reaching  the 
western  rim  of  the  valley,  we  began  to  descend  over  a bad 
road,  which  soon  became  worse.  It  had  apparently  at  one 
time  been  paved  with  huge  blocks  of  stone,  but  the  severe 
winter  rains  and  incessant  travel  of  man  and  beast  had  jum- 
bled these  into  inconceivable  confusion.  Over  them  and  be- 
tween them  and  around  them  we  were  compelled  slowly  to 
find  our  way.  Once  or  twice  the  road  was  so  steep  and  slip- 
pery that  we  had  to  dismount  and  let  our  mules  slide  down 
inclines  a couple  of  hundred  feet  in  length.  Still,  down, 
down  we  went,  on  foot  or  on  mule-back,  over  and  around  the 
unending  spurs,  and  into  and  out  of  the  valleys,  until  darkness 
came  on,  and  after  all  we  had  not  reached  our  destination.  We 
nevertheless  proceeded,  our  guide  leading  at  what  seemed  to 
me  in  the  obscurity  to  be  a very  dangerous  pace.  We  had  had 
most  beautiful  views  all  the  day,  and  would  doubtless  have 
seen  the  Pacific,  but  for  the  clouds  which  lay  before  us  like  a 


Ghimborazo  from  a Height  of  Fourteen  Thousand  Feet. 


BREAKFASTING  IN  AN  ACTIVE  VOLCANO.  43 


vast  ocean  of  bright  white  foam.  We  slept  for  the  night  in 
a miserable  village  inn,  and  went  on  again  at  daylight.  We 
had  now  once  more  reached  the  tropics,  had  left  far  behind 
the  temperate  table-land  of  central  Ecuador.  We  had  ar- 
rived in  the  land  of  hammocks — those  abodes  of  mental  as 
well  as  physical  inertia.  We  passed  through  immense  plan- 
tations of  coffee,  cacao,  oranges,  bananas,  and  sugar-cane. 
One  of  the  most  striking  characteristics  of  the  small  Republic 
of  Ecuador  is  the  abruptness  with  which  one  passes  from  the 
wheat  and  barley  fields  of  the  interior  to  the  palms  and 
cocoanuts  of  the  coast.  The  landscape  quickly  changes  from 
that  of  a New  England  farm  to  an  East  Indian  jungle.  The 
climate  of  Quito  is  cool,  uniform,  and  healthy  for  European 
settlers,  but  Guayaquil  is  hot,  moist,  and  insalubrious.  We 
stopped  frequently,  at  the  farm-houses,  for  drinks,  now  of 
chicha , a native  beer  somewhat  like  our  lager  in  taste  and 
strength ; now  of  guarapo , a sort  of  sweet  and  rather  palata- 
ble beer ; again  of  fresh  sugar-cane  juice,  most  refreshing  to 
a heated  and  tired  rider.  It  is  said  that  in  summer,  during 
the  rainy  season,  the  roads  are  all  but  impassable  ; that  then 
there  is  no  travel  save  by  the  mail-carriers  and  those  few 
whose  business  is  too  urgent  to  be  postponed.  I had  an  ink- 
ling of  how  difficult  this  sort  of  travel  must  be,  for  we  had 
to  make  many  miles  through  a tract  of  morass  where  the 
rocks  and  holes  and  rivers  and  mud  were  something  terrible 
to  contemplate  and  worse  to  experience.  The  mules  could 
not  always  keep  their  feet,  often  sank  up  to  their  bellies,  and 
were  unable  to  progress  much  faster  than  a mile  an  hour. 
We  had  our  skin  torn  by  the  bushes,  our  feet  and  legs  bruised 
by  the  rocks,  and  our  clothes  covered  and  hair  matted  with 
the  mud.  We  passed  many  troops  of  mules  and  donkeys 
transporting  merchandise  of  all  sorts  to  the  capital.  The 
expense  of  carrying  heavy  articles  in  this  manner  is,  of 
course,  very  great.  For  a portion  of  a small  boiler  one  hun- 
dred dollars  was  the  freightage.  We  reached  Bodegas,  the 
head  of  winter  navigation  on  the  Guay  as  River,  about  five 
one  afternoon,  and  were  glad  to  learn  that  a small  steamer 


44 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


would  leave  the  next  day  at  noon  for  Guayaquil.  In  the 
evening  two  military  bands  alternately  played  in  the  largest 
square,  and  all  the  town  was  there  to  hear.  With  German 
compositions  the  native  musicians  grapple  in  vain,  but  with 
Spanish  songs  and  dance-music  they  are  more  successful. 
We  amused  ourselves  on  the  way  down  the  river  by  shoot- 
ing alligators,  which  greatly  abound.  We  frequently  saw 
half  a dozen  huge  fellows  lying  on  the  banks  and  looking  at 
a distance  like  the  trunks  of  old  trees.  They  are  difficult  to 
kill,  but  after  much  practice  we  succeeded  in  dispatching  a 
few. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


COASTWISE  TO  CALLAO. 

On  July  23d  I left  Guayaquil  for  Callao,  and  on  the  very 
same  steamer  as  that  in  which  I had  come  down  from  Pana- 
ma, it  having  in  the  mean  time  made  a round  trip  north  and 
south.  We  had  only  two  or  three  cabin  but  many  deck 
passengers.  These  last  are  generally  supplied  with  food  by 
the  steamer,  but  have  to  arrange  their  own  sleeping  accom- 
modations, either  in  hammocks  or  upon  their  baggage.  At 
eight  in  the  morning  we  reached  onr  first  station  in  Peru,  the 
little  town  of  Payta,  approaching  its  almost  landlocked  road- 
stead through  vast  schools  of  young  porpoises,  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  sea-birds,  many  huge  turtles,  and  a few  small 
whales.  The  sea-birds,  a sort  of  large  duck  or  gull,  predomi- 
nating, were  so  gorged  with  fish  that  they  could  scarcely  rise 
from  the  water  in  order  to  avoid  the  steamer,  and  their  first 
effort  before  attempting  this  was  to  disburden  themselves  of 
the  acquisition.  The  shore  in  the  vicinity  of  Payta  consists 
of  great  bluffs  of  yellow  sand.  ISTot  a tree  or  sprig  of  vege- 
tation of  any  sort  is  in  sight.  So  barren,  indeed,  is  the  coun- 
try hereabout,  that  a story  is  told  to  the  effect  that  a man 
having  painted  a tree  upon  his  door  was  hardly  surprised 
that  it  was  devoured  by  some  passing  donkeys,  it  being  the 
only  green  thing  in  the  place.  In  a little  corner  of  the  bay, 
upon  a plain  at  the  base  of  the  yellow  bluffs,  lies  the  equally 
yellow  and  utterly  dilapidated  town.  We  anchored  near  a 
United  States  man-of-war,  and  some  Portuguese  and  Peruvian 
ships,  and  proceeded  at  once  to  load  with  coal  from  a hulk 
belonging  to  the  steamer  company,  and  to  dispatch  our  cargo 


46 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


to  the  shore  in  large  lighters.  Though  Payta  itself  seems 
insignificant  and  desolate,  the  country  inland  is  very  rich  in 
agricultural  products,  and  boasts  some  towns  of  manufactur- 
ing importance.  The  Peruvian  port-officers  visited  us,  as  the 
Ecuadorians  had  done  in  Guayaquil,  wfith  ostentatious  display 
of  uniform  and  bunting,  the  national  flag  having  red,  white, 
and  red  vertical  stripes,  with  the  arms  of  Peru  in  the  center. 
Upon  landing,  one  finds  merely  a poor,  tumble-down  collec- 
tion of  grass-thatched,  one-story  huts,  of  adobe  and  bamboo, 
packed  tightly  upon  narrow,  irregular,  unpaved  streets.  In 
one  place  is  a railway-station,  whence  a train  is  dispatched 
every  day  about  twenty  miles  up  one  of  the  fertile  valleys  of 
the  interior.  It  is  the  intention  to  continue  this  railway 
twenty  miles  farther,  to  the  town  of  Piura,  which  stands  in 
the  midst  of  a blooming  oasis.  This  railway  was  originally 
built  for  the  Government  by  a Danish  contractor,  but  it  is 
now  owned  by  the  well-known  American  house  of  Grace 
Brothers  & Company,  brokers  and  commission-merchants, 
of  Lima,  Callao,  and  Valparaiso.  There  being  no  water  in 
Payta,  one  of  the  duties  of  this  little  railway  is  daily  to  bring . 
in  a proper  supply.  We  left  the  yellow  town,  with  its  back- 
ground of  tawny  sand-hills,  early  in  the  afternoon,  and  again 
headed  toward  the  south.  During  the  night  we  passed  a 
small  village  where,  strange  to  say,  the  vernacular  of  some 
Chinese  immigrant  coolies,  who  had  settled  there,  was  under- 
stood by  the  native  inhabitants.  This  is  an  important  and 
interesting  fact  in  connection  with  the  theory  of  Asiatic  mi- 
gration across  the  Pacific. 

Early  in  the  morning  we  anchored  in  the  roadstead  of 
Pimental,  itself  only  a little  cluster  of  huts,  but  the  port  for 
a fertile  district  inland.  It  is  so  all  along  the  coast  of  Peru 
and  Bolivia.  Such  of  the  land  as  is  seen  from  the  ocean  is 
arid  and  without  vegetation  ; but  from  the  ports,  railways 
or  lines  of  mules  pass  up  into  the  productive  valleys  and  bring 
down  rich  freight  for  the  steamers.  At  Pimental  we  loaded 
chiefly  cotton,  though  there  were  also  ox-hide  bales  of  tobacco. 
Here  our  cargo  was  brought  by  a curious  sort  of  lighter  called 


COASTWISE  TO  CALLAO. 


47 


a balsa.  This  is  simply  a raft  of  great  timbers,  with  a single 
mast  supporting  a large  oblong  sail.  It  is  navigated  by  half 
a dozen  men,  and  will  sail  very  fast  with  a favorable  wdnd. 
It  is  steered  by  four  men  wTith  long  paddles.  Upon  the  mid- 
dle of  this  primitiv’e  craft,  raised  a couple  of  feet  on  trans- 
verse beams,  covered  with  grass,  reposes  the  freight.  These 
balsas  are  literally  unsinkable,  and  frequently  make  long 
coasting  voyages.  Going  on  about  ten  miles,  we  reach  Eten, 
scarcely  more  than  an  iron  pier,  nearly  a mile  in  length,  from 
which  a railway  runs  into  the  interior.  When  there  is  not 
much  business,  these  steamers  frequently  call  at  three  or  four 
ports  in  a day.  We  reached  Pacasmayo,  the  next  station, 
late  in  the  evening.  Morning  disclosed  a solitary  circular 
roadstead,  wTitli  another  iron  pier,  about  a mile  in  length, 
leading  to  the  sandy  shore,  and  a small  mud  and  bamboo 
village  beyond,  blear  Pacasmayo  are  some  very  extensive 
ruins,  which  it  is  said  even  the  Incas  found  in  a dilapidated 
condition  when  they  came  into  the  country.  There  are  also 
several  of  the  huge  mounds  which  the  Incas  themselves,  not 
less  than  the  Aztecs  in  the  United  States  and  Mexico,  were 
so  fond  of  rearing.  A railway  runs  from  Pacasmayo  to  the 
town  of  Santa  Magdalena,  which  is  in  a very  fertile  region. 
Still  farther  to  the  eastward  is  situated  the  city  of  Cajamarca, 
which  has  twelve  thousand  inhabitants  and  is  historically  note- 
worthy as  being  the  spot  where  the  last  of  the  Incas,  the  un- 
fortunate Atahualpa,  was  murdered  by  the  brutal  Pizarro. 
In  this  place  are  still  shown  the  jail  where  Atahualpa  w^as 
confined,  and  the  block  upon  which  he  was  beheaded,  the 
room  he  proposed  to  fill  with  gold  in  exchange  for  his  life, 
the  baths,  and  other  reminiscences  of  the  lordly  Incas.  Pa- 
casmayo is  the  Pacific  port  through  which  that  rich  district 
of  northwestern  Brazil,  called  Amazonas,  and  the  head-wTaters 
of  the  Amazon,  are  generally  reached  by  merchants,  traders, 
and  transcontinental  travelers.  The  route  is  by  mule  over 
the  sub-hills  to  the  Huallaga  River,  whence  there  is  uninter- 
rupted steam  navigation  to  Para,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ama- 
zon, a distance  of  over  three  thousand  miles.  The  next  port 


48  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

at  which  we  called  was  Samanco,  whose  two-storied  custom- 
house was  situated  at  the  mouth  of  a little  green  valley, 
though  all  around  were  bare,  brown  hillocks  and  mounds  of 
sand,  that  vividly  recalled  the  Nubian  Desert. 

The  views  of  the  lava-like  coast  range,  in  coming  down 
from  Pacasmayo,  wTere  very  fine.  Though  there  are  no 
fiords,  and  though  these  mountains  are  very  much  higher 
than  the  highest  Norwegian  mountains,  yet  the  generally 
steep  and  sterile  appearance  continually  reminded  me  of  the 
coast  range  of  Norway.  The  many  scenes  of  utter  desola- 
tion, chaotic  confusion,  and  peculiar  loneliness,  are  quite 
analogous.  The  effect  of  viewing  them,  range  behind  range, 
is  here,  as  in  Norway,  greatly  to  increase  their  actual  alti- 
tude. But  here,  with  a powerful  sun,  the  profiles  of  the 
mountains  are  much  more  distinct,  and  the  varying  lights 
and  shadows  of  their  ridges,  valleys,  and  summits  render  the 
panorama  much  more  picturesque.  In  Norway  all  is  grim 
and  somber,  here  it  is  in  part  bright  and  vari-colored.  In 
places  very  charming  effects  are  produced  by  a fiat,  green 
shore,  beyond  which  are  stretches  of  sandy  hillocks,  then 
low  lines  of  brown  and  black  hills,  deeply  furrowed,  and 
still  farther  away  lofty  violet-colored  ranges  of  the  mighty 
Andes,  with  broad  oceans  of  fleecy  clouds  below  their  top- 
most ridges.  Over  all  burns  a heaven  of  the  purest  blue. 
Many  of  the  peaks  are  but  sparsely  snow-capped.  Nearer 
the  sea  are  dull-brown  lava  hills,  without  even  a spear  of 
grass  showing  in  any  of  their  numerous  depressions  from 
base  to  summit.  The  mountains  are  all  remarkably  precipi- 
tous. Those  which  stand  more  immediately  upon  the  coast 
look  for  all  the  world  as  if  they  had  been  directly  thrown 
up  from  neighboring  volcanic  craters.  Many  huge  caverns 
have  been  worn  by  the  sea  into  their  gray  and  black  bases. 
The  different  colors  of  some  of  the  stratified  rocks  present 
a very  marked  contrast  to  these.  We  called  at  the  micro- 
scopic port  of  Casma,  and  next  came  Supe,  situated  on  a 
circular  harbor,  like  most  of  the  other  towns  at  which  we 
had  touched. 


COASTWISE  TO  CALLAO. 


49 


Our  last  stop  before  reaching  Callao  was  Huacho  ; and 
here  I varied  the  monotony  of  the  voyage  by  again  going  on 
shore,  being  carried  upon  the  shoulders  of  natives  through 
the  high-rolling  surf.  The  town  I found  to  be  of  mud  and 
bamboo  houses,- but  a single  story  in  height ; streets  irregular 
and  narrow,  but  with  sidewalks  made  of  sections  of  hard 
trees,  after  the  style  of  our  “ Nicholson  ” pavement.  The 
chief  plaza  had  a line  fountain,  surrounded  by  beautiful 
flowers.  On  one  side  was  the  large  cathedral,  with  a cylin- 
drical roof  of  bamboo  and  mud.  The  shops  contained  a fair 
variety  of  goods.  There  were  a number  of  foreign  mer- 
chants— Italians,  French,  and  Germans.  X ascended  the 
tower  of  a church  for  a panoramic  view.  In  the  distance 
were  many  groves  of  tropical  trees,  here  and  there  the  farm- 
houses of  large  sugar  estates,  and  beyond  them  the  hills,  the 
everlasting  hills.  This  range,  it  is  almost  needless  to  add, 
one  sees  from  Panama  to  Cape  Horn,  the  coasting  steamers 
rarely  losing  sight  of  it  for  many  hours  at  a time.  The 
scenic  order  is  always  the  same : it  is  first  the  sandy  plain, 
then  the  coast  range,  then  the  elevated  plateau,  then  the 
loftier  line  whose  eastern  slope  gradually  declines  to  the  vast 
undulating  plains  and  forests  of  Brazil. 

The  following  morning  at  daybreak,  six  days  out  from 
Guayaquil,  we  arrived  at  Callao,  and  anchored  in  a “forest  of 
masts.”  In  the  roadstead  were  half  a dozen  foreign  men-of- 
war,  among  them  the  noted  Chilian  cruiser  Esmeralda,  which 
I afterward  visited,  and  twenty  or  thirty  steamers,  among 
them  six  or  eight  belonging  to  the  Pacific  Steam  Navigation 
Company,  and  laid  up  to  await  more  prosperous  business 
than  just  then  offered.  The  city  of  Callao,  lying  upon  a 
level  plain,  was  only  partly  discernible,  yet  it  had  a look 
of  business  activity  very  different  from  anything  I had  yet 
seen  on  the  west  coast,  and  reminding  me  at  once  of  home. 
The  many  smoke-emitting  factory-chimneys ; the  three-story 
brick  houses ; the  locomotives  and  cars  of  the  two  railroads 
which  run  hourly  to  Lima;  the  hundreds  of  boats,  lighters, 
and  steam-tugs — all  betokened  a higher  civilization  than  I had 


50 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


yet  witnessed.  I was  soon  taken  ashore  and  landed  upon  a 
splendid  stone  mole.  Of  the  two  lines  of  railway  leading  to 
the  capital,  one  belongs  to  an  English,  the  other  to  an 
American  company.  I selected  the  English,  intending  to 
return  by  the  other.  The  cars  are  divided  into  two  classes, 
in  both  of  which  smoking  is  universal.  Leaving  Callao,  we 
passed  over  a great  plain,  sterile  at  first,  but  afterward  cov- 
ered with  grass  and  various  other  vegetable  produce.  A 
pleasant  diversity  to  the  general  level  was  the  appearance  of 
two  or  three  convents,  with  their  neatly  whitewashed  build- 
ings and  walls,  through  whose  gates  were  seen  beautiful 
gardens  of  brightly  blooming  flowers.  Arriving  at  Lima,  I 
soon  found  the  “ Hotel  de  France  et  Angleterre,”  with  its 
comfortable  rooms  and  capital  French  cuisine.  The  hotel 
was  a very  rambling  sort  of  affair,  with  many  court-yards 
and  many  rooms.  The  center  of  the  largest  court-yard  was 
full  of  flowers,  shrubs,  and  vines,  around  which,  standing  in 
the  open  air,  were  two  rows  of  dining-tables.  Thgre  were 
tables  in  inner  rooms,  also,  upon  the  ground-floor.  The  cor- 
ridors were  all  paved  with  brick  tiles,  and  filled  with  tubs 
of  beautiful  flowers.  In  the  second  story  were  the  lodging- 
rooms,  with  doors  and  windows  opening,  as  usual,  npon  the 
court  instead  of  the  street.  You  pay  a fixed  price  per  day 
for  the  rooms,  but  for  meals  you  may  arrange  on  either  the 
European  or  American  plan.  As  soon  as  I was  settled  in  my 
rooms,  an  agent  of  the  police  called  upon  me  with  printed 
blanks  to  be  filled  up  as  to  my  age,  nationality,  religion,  busi- 
ness, home,  destination,  etc.  I arrived  at  Lima  in  the  rainy 
season,  though  but  little  rain  ever  falls  in  the  city  itself. 
Being  the  middle  of  winter,  I found  the  weather  cool  enough 
for  woolen  clothing.  The  anniversary  of  Peruvian  inde- 
pendence was  being  celebrated.  This  was  in  commemora- 
tion of  the  overthrow  of  Spanish  authority  and  Peru’s  organi- 
zation into  a republic.  The  city  was  in  gala  dress,  so  far  as 
bunting  goes,  and,  in  addition  to  the  national  banner,  one  saw 
everywhere  the  flags  of  other  nationalities  ; chiefly  however, 
those  of  France,  Germany,  and  Italy. 


* 


General  Cdceres. 


COASTWISE  TO  CALLAO. 


51 


Horse-races  are  given  at  some  distance  out  of  the  city, 
and  to  these  I was  invited  by  a friend  who  came  down  on 
the  steamer  with  me  and  who  is  engaged  in  business  in  Lima. 
An  hourly  train  conveyed  visitors  to  the  track,  a half-mile 
stretch.  From  a seat  in  the  grand  stand  I saw  the  houses  of 
Callao,  the  shipping  in  the  roadstead,  and  the  ocean  beyond,  as 
well  as  the  spires  of  the  churches  and  many  of  the  dwellings 
of  Lima.  Foreigners  were  out  in  great  force.  The  Lima 
ladies  were  generally  dressed  in  the  very  latest  French  styles, 
with  accompaniments  of  paint  and  powder.  But  what  shall 
I say  of  the  races  ? Nothing  in  praise,  certainly.  They  were 
all  of  the  running  description,  and  but  little  attention  was 
paid  by  the  jockeys  to  skill  of  any  kind.  A military  band 
occasionally  favored  us  with  waltzes  and  other  lively  music. 
In  the  midst  of  the  racing  a number  of  richly  uniformed  per- 
sonages, with  a large,  mounted  staff,  rode  up  to  the  grand 
stand,  cap  in  hand,  while  the  entire  throng  rose  and  the  men 
lifted  their  hats.  The  President  of  the  Republic,  General 
Iglesias,  had  arrived,  together  with  his  Minister  of  War  and 
Padre  Tovar.  They  were  given  seats  in  the  center  of  the 
grand  stand.  Iglesias  was  a man  of  medium  size,  slightly 
built,  about  sixty  years  old,  with  furrowed  forehead  and  face, 
bright  eves,  gray  mustache  and  hair.  lie  was  dressed  in  a 
general’s  uniform,  and  smiled  grimly  to  those  among  the 
spectators  whom  he  recognized.  General  Caceres,  who  was 
at  that  time  disputing  the  presidency  with  Iglesias,  was  be- 
lieved to  be  somewhere  to  the  eastward  of  the  capital,  in  the 
mountains.  Six  months  before,  he  had  been  in  command  of 
Arequipa,  the  second  city  of  Peru  in  numbers  and  in  political 
importance.  At  the  period  of  my  visit,  the  government  troops 
were  unable  to  dislodge  him.  The  greater  number  of  the 
citizens  of  Lima  and  all  the  remaining  people  of  Peru  were 
interested  in  the  success  of  Caceres,  as  they  did  not  approve 
of  the  policy  of  Iglesias  in  making  peace  with  Chili.  It  was 
said,  also,  that  were  it  not  for  Chilian  influence  and  the  pres- 
ence of  the  famous  ironclad  Esmeralda  at  Callao,  C&ceres 
would  be  able,  with  such  re-enforcements  as  he  would  be  sure 


52 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


to  receive,  to  march  upon  Lima  and  readily  capture  it.  Chili, 
after  the  terrible  thrashing  she  had  recently  given  Peru,  was 
still  greatly  dreaded.  To  see  the  gay  fetes  of  the  day,  one 
would  not  have  dreamed  that  revolutions  were  in  progress  at 
different  points  in  the  country,  and  that  the  great  mass  of  the 
Peruvians  were  in  favor  of  an  immediate  overthrow  of  the 
authorities.  The  subsequent  events  by  which  Caceres  vic- 
toriously entered  the  capital  are  too  well  known  to  require 
recapitulation.  General  Caceres,  who  is  now  President,  is  a 
clever  tactician  and  a statesman  of  more  than  average  ability, 
besides  being  a true  patriot  who  commands  the  sympathies 
and  confidence  of  his  countrymen. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


LIMA. 

On  tlie  morning  following  my  arrival,  having  been  awak- 
ened very  early  by  the  clanging  and  banging  which  in  all 
Spanish  towns  the  world  over  call  the  people  from  bed  to 
church,  I took  the  hint  and  started  forth  to  visit  the  famous 
cathedral,  which  occupies  the  southeastern  corner  of  the  Grand 
Plaza.  In  the  immediate  vicinity  are  government  buildings 
and  the  shops  of  petty  merchants.  The  shops  are  merely 
square  boxes,  with  no  means  of  exit  save  their  front  doors,  and 
no  light  except  by  the  same  route.  They  contain  admirable 
displays  of  goods,  and  seem  to  embrace  every  variety  of  busi- 
ness. Especially  noticeable  are  the  shops  of  the  money-chang- 
ers, the  jewelers,  and  restaurants  and  saloons  of  all  kinds,  kept 
generally  by  Frenchmen  or  Italians.  The  plaza  is  neatly 
paved  with  cobble-stones.  In  its  center  is  a small  octagonal 
garden  having  a tall  bronze  fountain  topped  by  a figure 
very  like  that  of  the  Bethesda  fountain  in  Central  Park, 
Hew  York.  There  are  also  some  marble  statues,  of  mediocre 
merit,  and  several  marble  settees.  There  are  a few  trees  in 
the  pi  aza,  but  they,  as  well  as  the  flowers,  suffer  greatly  from 
lack  of  a fertile  soil  and  an  adequate  supply  of  water.  The 
plaza  and  gardens  at  night  are  illuminated  by  many  circles 
and  rows  of  gas-jets.  At  this  time  all  Lima  congregates  to 
promenade  and  listen  to  a military  band,  but  during  the  day 
it  is  the  great  cathedral  which  rivets  the  eye  of  the  traveler. 
Being  raised  six  feet  or  so  upon  a marble  terrace,  with  its 
yellow,  time-stained  walls,  its  quaint  architecture,  and  grace- 
fully proportioned  towTers,  it  produces  a very  charming  effect 


54 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA, 


from  a distance.  A nearer  view  somewhat  dispels  this  illu- 
sion ; for,  although  much  of  the  oldest  part  of  the  facade, 
with  its  pillars  of  red  marble,  its  niches  filled  with  statuary, 
and  its  ornamentations  generally,  yet  remains,  most  of  the 
modern  additions  are  in  brick  and  wood  and  stucco.  The 
upper  portions  of  the  towers  are  wholly  of  wood  and  stucco. 
The  interior  is  greatly  diminished  in  grandeur  by  an  inclosed 
choir,  though  the  great  height  of  the  ceiling,  with  its  groined 
arches  colored  in  white  and  gold,  produces  a good  effect.  At 
either  side  are  the  usual  number  of  chapels,  filled  with 
wretched  wooden  carvings,  poor  paintings,  tinsel  bric-a-brac , 
and  Virgin  Marys  with  huge  silver  crowns  and  crinoline  of 
heavy,  gold-embroidered  silk.  The  high  altar  is  remarkably 
plain,  though  accommodating  some  handsome  silver  candle- 
sticks. In  the  choir  is  a very  fine,  large  organ.  The  stalls 
here  are  elegantly  carved  with  full-length  figures  of  saints 
and  bishops.  In  the  crypt  are  the  embalmed  remains  of  the 
great  Francisco  Pizarro,  transferred  from  the  old  cathedral, 
which  was  built  on  the  same  site  in  1607  by  the  valiant  con- 
quistador himself.  They  lie  on  a moldy  shelf  beside  the  body 
of  the  good  viceroy  Mendoza.  Pizarro’s  bones  are  fast  crum- 
bling to  dust,  and  the  few  remaining  pieces  of  skin  which  still 
cling  to  them,  dry  and  withered  as  they  are,  are  rapdily  dis- 
appearing under  the  inroads  of  eager  relic-hunters. 

From  the  summit  of  one  of  a range  of  hills,  called  Cerro 
de  San  Cristobal,  a short  distance  to  the  north,  the  best  pan- 
oramic view  of  the  city  and  its  surrounding  mountains  may 
be  obtained.  It  is  then  seen  that  Lima  lies  upon  level 
ground,  near  a small  river,  the  Fimac,  which  is  quite  dry 
during  most  of  the  year,  but  so  swollen  at  times,  by  the  melt- 
ing of  the  snow  in  the  mountains,  that  its  banks  have  to  be 
walled  with  great  stones.  It  is  crossed  by  three  bridges,  and 
a small  section  of  the  capital  lies  to  the  northeast  of  it. 
Lima  is  laid  out  at  right  angles.  The  streets  are  about 
twenty  feet  in  width,  and  paved  with  cobble-stones ; the 
sidewalks  are  rarely  more  than  three  feet  in  width.  A curi- 
ous and  awkward  custom  is  that  of  giving  the  streets  a new 


Panorama  of  Lima. 


LIMA. 


55 


name  on  each  block,  so  that  yon  have  to  remember  the  same 
street  under  a score  or  so  of  names.  Tram-cars  run  in  the  chief 
thoroughfares.  Native  owners  introduced  them.  A ride  in 
them  costs  the  equivalent  of  two  and  a half  American  cents. 
There  are  also  hackney-coaches  like  some  of  those  in  New 
York  ; they  are  remarkably  cheap  and  in  universal  demand. 
For  one  passenger,  a ride  to  any  part  of  the  city  costs  but  ten 
cents  ; or,  the  coach  being  hired  by  the  hour,  it  can  be  kept 
all  day  for  fifty  cents.  The  city  is  lighted  by  gas  supplied 
from  huge  brackets  attached  to  the  walls  of  about  every  fifth 
house.  The  houses,  generally  built  of  mud  and  bamboo,  are 
but  two  stories  in  height,  with  balconies  which  are  inclosed 
by  small  panes  of  glass,  and  which,  in  the  upper  stories,  pro- 
ject so  regularly  over  the  street  as  to  form  for  pedestrians 
an  almost  continuous  protection  from  sun  and  rain.  Some 
. of  the  older  of  these  balconies  are  made  of  a hard,  dark  wood, 
which  is  intricately  and  beautifully  carved  ; and  these,  to- 
gether with  the  varying  colors  with  which  the  houses  are 
painted,  make  the  street  vistas  very  picturesque.  The  roofs 
of  the  houses  are  fiat,  and  usually  utilized  as  lounging-places 
on  sultry  nights.  In  the  suburbs  the  houses  are  but  one  story 
in  height,  built  with  enormously  thick  walls  of  unburned 
brick.  Their  uninflammable  character  makes  a fire  in  Lima 
almost  unknown,  and  its  dangerous  spread  impossible. 
Nevertheless,  proper  precautions  have  been  taken.  There 
are  two  Peruvian  fire  brigades,  well  supplied  with  steamers, 
old-fashioned  pumping-engines,  hook-and-ladder  accessories, 
and  other  excellent  miscellany,  though  the  necessary  horses 
are  not  stabled  upon  the  brigades’  premises,  but  at  some  dis- 
tance in  other  streets.  A few  of  the  foreign  nations  so  lib- 
erally represented  in  Lima  also  have  each  an  engine-house. 

During  my  stay  in  Lima  I of  course  visited  most  of  the 
public  buildings.  Facing  one  of  the  many  little  plazas  of 
the  city,  which  contains  a fine  statue  of  General  Bolivar,  sur- 
rounded by  plants  and  flowers,  stand  the  Houses  of  Congress, 
the  one  styled  the  Hall  of  Senators,  the  other  that  of  Depu- 
ties. I paused  for  a moment  to  observe  the  equestrian  statue, 


56 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


in  which  the  attitudes  of  both  horse  and  rider  are  very 
spirited  and  natural.  The  horse  careers  on  his  hind-legs,  like 
the  famous  one  of  Peter  the  Great  in  St.  Petersburg.  The 
forward  part  of  the  horse  is  hollow,  and  the  hind-legs  and 
tail  are  solid,  in  order  to  preserve  a very  difficult  equipoise. 
On  the  marble  pedestal  are  beautiful  bas-reliefs,  in  marble, 
of  well-known  battles  in  which  Bolivar  was  the  hero ; an 
inscription  to  him,  as  the  liberator  of  Peru ; and  the  date  of 
erection  of  the  monument,  1856.  The  Hall  of  Senators  I 
found  to  be  simply  a long,  narrow  room,  with  papered  walls, 
and  a plain  wooden  desk  at  one  end.  The  ceiling,  built  of 
a line  dark  wood,  and  intricately  carved,  could  not  be  more 
out  of  place  than  with  such  miserable  surroundings.  The 
entrance  and  ante-rooms  are  also  of  the  meanest  character. 
A great  contrast  to  the  Hall  of  the  Senators  was  that  of 
the  Deputies,  on*  another  side  of  the  same  plaza.  This  is. 
situated  in  a large,  single-story  building,  with  broad  corri- 
dors, and  a court  full  of  flowers  and  statues.  The  chamber 
is  long  and  narrow,  but  with  a lofty  ceiling.  It  is  orna- 
mented in  white  and  gold,  a gay  carpet  is  upon  the  floor,  and 
there  are  two  hundred  red-leather  chairs  arranged  in  three 
rows  for  the  deputies.  Galleries  are  provided  for  the  diplo- 
matic corps,  and  at  one  end  is  a half-concealed  gallery  for 
women.  In  the  center,  at  one  side,  are  two  highly  orna- 
mented chairs  of  state,  surmounted  by  the  arms  of  Peru. 

The  principal  market  of  Lima  is  a large,  single-story 
building,  occupying  an  entire  block.  There  is  an  exterior 
row  of  dry-goods  and  notion  shops,  kept  mostly  by  Italians, 
who  thus  hope  to  catch  the  custom  of  some  of  the  great  num- 
bers of  people  who  have  to  visit  the  market.  The  wooden 
roof  is  raised  above  the  walls,  thus  affording  ample  light  and 
ventilation.  The  floor  is  of  asphalt.  The  stalls  are  arranged 
in  long  rows,  with  cross-walks.  The  general  appearance  is 
unlike  our  markets,  in  that  the  venders — even  the  butchers 
— are  nearly  all  women,  and  each  variety  of  produce  is  stored 
by  itself.  Fish  are  kept  in  rows  of  large  stone  tanks,  sup- 
plied with  pipes  of  running  water.  There  seemed  to  be  a 


LIMA. 


57 


great  profusion  of  every  sort  of  food,  which  was  sojd  at  very 
cheap  rates.  The  vegetables  and  fruits  were  especially  in- 
teresting, embracing,  as  they  did,  the  best-known  products 
of  two  zones. 

The  National  Library  is  a fine,  large  building,  in  the  usual 
quadrangular  style,  and  two  stories  in  height.  The  librarian, 
Senor  Ricardo  Palma,  who  has  quite  a foreign  as  well  as 
local  reputation,  as  a writer  on  Peruvian  traditions,  was  good 
enough  to  show  me  through  the  institution.  In  the  large 
entrance-hall  is  the  best-known  example  of  modern  Peruvian 
art,  u The  Obsequies  of  Atahualpa,”  by  Monteros,  a canvas 
about  thirty  by  twenty  feet.  This  was  formerly  preserved 
in  the  cathedral,  and  during  the  late  war  was  taken  away  to 
Santiago  by  the  Chilians,  but  was  afterward  returned,  in 
good  condition,  at  the  request  of  Senor  Palma.  The  library 
is  entered  through  handsome  large  iron  gates,  and  consists  of 
long,  communicating  rooms — three  sides  of  the  quadrangle. 
The  ceiling  and  book-cases  are  in  plain  dark  wood,  and  the 
books  are  screened  by  wire  doors.  At  present  there  are  only 
about  thirty  thousand  volumes.  These  are  upon  all  subjects, 
in  all  languages,  and  mostly  bound  in  fine  leather.  The 
Chilians  robbed  this  library  of  many  thousands  of  volumes 
and  rare  old  manuscripts.  One  room,  however,  is  still  full 
of  manuscripts,  and  another  of  valuable  old  portraits  of  the 
viceroys  and  former  presidents.  It  is  the  only  collection  of 
pictures  open  to  the  public  in  Lima.  The  library  is  sup- 
plied with  a commodious  reading-room,  and  Senor  Palma’s 
office  is  full  of  excellent  and  costly  paintings. 

Besides  the  equestrian  statue  of  General  Bolivar,  already 
mentioned,  there  is  another  specially  attractive  work  of  art, 
the  Column  of  the  2d  of  May.  It  is  erected  in  memory  of 
those  Peruvians  who  fell,  though  victorious  against  the  Span- 
iards, in  the  battle  of  Callao  Bay  in  1866.  It  will  be  noticed 
that  this  monument  is  named,  in  the  popular  French  fashion, 
by  mentioning  only  the  day  of  the  month  on  which  the  event 
commemorated  took  place.  In  Peru  such  a plan  will  scarce- 
ly create  the  confusion  found  in  the  many  holidays  of  France. 


58 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


On  the  western  boundary  of  the  city,  beyond  the  dwellings, 
in  the  center  of  a large  plaza  near  one  of  the  boulevards  laid 
out  by  the  great  railway  magnate,  Henry  Meiggs,  stands  this 
graceful  monument,  a fluted  shaft  of  white  marble,  on  a 
massive  granite  base,  with  battle  tablets  of  brown  bronze, 
while  above  are  yellow  bronze  female  figures,  typical  of  war 
and  peace.  Still  higher  are  many  ornaments  in  green  bronze, 
and  the  column  is  topped  by  a large  gilt  figure  of  Victory, 
almost  exactly  like  that  of  the  German  trophy  near  the  Bran- 
denburg Gate  of  Berlin.  The  entire  monument  is  about  sev- 
enty-five feet  in  height.  The  pure  white  of  the  marble  and 
the  different  shades  of  bronze  produce  a very  pleasing  effect. 

The  most  splendid  public  building  of  Lima  is  undoubted- 
ly that  styled  the  2d  of  May  Hospital.  It  occupies  an  entire 
block,  and  is  certainly  one  of  the  largest  and  best-appointed 
general  hospitals  I have  seen  outside  of  Europe,  save  possi- 
bly that  in  Bio  Janeiro.  The  original  cost  was  one  million 
dollars.  It  has  seven  hundred  beds,  but  at  the  time  of  my 
visit  there  were  but  three  hundred  inmates.  Though  the 
diseases  treated  are  naturally  very  miscellaneous,  those  of  the 
lungs  seem  to  predominate.  The  hospital  is  under  the 
charge  of  about  twenty  French  Sisters  of  Mercy,  with  a 
Mother  Superior.  The  visiting  physicians  are  all  native  Pe- 
ruvians. Entering,  through  huge  bronze  gates,  beneath  an 
imposing  arch  of  brick  and  white  stucco,  I walk  upon  a mar- 
ble pavement  to  a large  court-yard,  filled,  as  usual,  with  flow- 
ers and  plants  surrounding  a fountain.  Directly  opposite  the 
entrance  is  a small  chapel  with  a handsome  sculptured  pedi- 
ment and  a gracefully  swelling  dome,  under  which,  by  all 
odds,  the  most  beautiful  altar  in  Lima  is  to  be  seen.  It  is  of 
pure  white  marble,  with  gold  and  silver  ornamentation,  sev- 
eral good  statues,  and  a marble  railing.  Badiating  from  the 
great  circular  garden  are  twelve  huge  wards,  each  named  in 
memory  of  some  saint,  and  containing  a double  row  of  sim- 
ple iron  bedsteads.  The  floors  are  of  asphalt,  and  light  and 
air  are  freely  admitted  by  large  windows.  At  the  farther 
end  of  these  wards,  and  forming  a vast  quadrangle  exterior 


Viaduct  of  Verrugas , Oroya  Railroad. 


LIMA. 


59 


to  the  hospital  proper,  are  the  offices,  the  quarters  of  the  at- 
tendants, the  kitchen,  laundry,  baths,  dispensary,  operating 
and  dissecting  rooms,  etc.  Everything  is  of  the  most  per- 
fect description,  the  best  of  its  class,  and  even  luxurious  in 
many  details.  Thus  the  baths  are  all  of  white  marble,  and 
so  are  the  laundry-tubs.  Everything  is  scrupulously  clean. 
Between  the  wards  are  more  gardens,  and  also  before  the 
outer  buildings,  which  are  faced  by  a wide,  paved  corridor 
wffiose  total  length  must  be  nearly  a mile.  Pipes  bring 
spring- water  from  the  hills,  and  at  high  pressure  flush  the 
deep  stone  drains.  This  splendid  hospital  is  situated  at  such 
a distance  from  the  busy  part  of  the  city  as  to  have  all  the 
benefit  of  the  pure  air  and  quiet  of  the  country.  There  is  a 
most  refreshing  moral  and  curative  effect  in  looking  from 
the  open  wards  upon  the  beautiful  gardens  wTith  their  sweet- 
ly singing  birds  and  softly  murmuring  fountains.  One  could 
not  often  And  a better  organization  for  the  care  of  the  sick. 
Health,  it  would  seem,  must  be  rapidly  obtained  under  such 
pleasant  and  wholesome  conditions.  Though  the  hospital 
is  free,  special  and  private  rooms  are,  as  elsewhere,  provided 
for  those  able  and  willing  to  pay  a slight  price.  I was  care- 
fully shown  every  detail  of  this  vast  establishment  by  one  of 
the  Sisters,  who  also  presented  me  to  the  Mother  Superior,  a 
lady  of  great  intelligence  and  most  engaging  manners. 

There  is  a railway — the  famous  Oroya — which  runs  from 
Lima  over  the  Andes,  a distance  of  about  one  hundred  miles, 
reaching  a total  altitude  above  sea-level  of  nearly  fifteen 
thousand  feet.  Its  construction  by  Henry  Meiggs,  a number 
of  years  ago,  involved  some  of  the  most  difficult  engineering 
problems  ever  experienced  in  any  country.  I naturally  wished 
to  inspect  this  road  in  its  entirety,  but,  upon  presenting  a letter 
of  introduction  to  its  superintendent,  was  informed,  to  my 
surprise  and  disappointment,  that  but  twenty-six  miles  of  the 
road  were  in  running;  order,  the  remainder  being;  under  the 
control  of  the  revolutionists,  wffio  were  at  that  time  in  force 
at  less  than  eighty  miles’  distance  from  the  capital.  Though 
the  rebels  were  so  near,  the  Government  did  not  even  intend 


60 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


to  make  an  effort  to  dislodge  them.  I said  to  a native  one 
day,  “ If  the  Government  really  has  only  nominal  ruling 
power  in  the  city  of  Lima,  and  all  the  remainder  of  Peru  is 
in  favor  of  Caceres,  why  do  not  the  so-called  rebels  in  the 
north,  east,  and  south  combine  their  forces  and  march  upon 
the  capital,  which  it  would  seem  they  might  readily  capture, 
as  it  contains  only  five  thousand  troops  ? ” He  replied : 
“ There  is  no  unanimity  among  the  rebels ; they  are  quarrel- 
ing among  themselves  all  the  time ; they  are  suspicious  of 
each  other  ; they  can  not  depend  upon  their  own  men  in  case 
of  an  emergency.”  And  so  the  country  crawled  along,  with 
anarchy  and  prostration  of  trade  on  every  side.  Peru, 
though  for  the  time  nearly  ruined  by  its  disastrous  war  writh 
Chili,  still  has  vast  mineral  and  agricultural  wealth ; and  its 
guano,  though  exhausted  in  some  places,  abounds  in  others. 
With  a good  stable  government  and  a united  people,  it  might 
yet  be  a prosperous  country,  but  there  seems  to  be  too  little 
honor  among  its  public  men.  Instead  of  being  ambitious 
to  serve  their  country  patriotically,  most  seem  intent  only 
upon  robbing  her.  Instead  of  endeavoring  to  keep  faith 
with  their  creditors,  they  repudiate  the  just  claims  of  for- 
eigners, whom  they  now  owe  the  immense  sum  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  million  dollars  of  American  money.  The 
party  in  power  strive  only  to  keep  there,  and  to  make  what 
money  they  may  while  there.  The  party  out  of  power  busy 
themselves  in  fomenting  the  revolutions  of  which  we  con- 
tinually hear,  hoping  thereby  to  effect  a change  of  adminis- 
tration, which  shall  put  them  in  a position  to  plunder  the 
people,  and  thus  rapidly  enrich  themselves  and  their  friends. 
The  details  of  the  late  crisis  in  Peru  are  too  recent  for  me 
to  rehearse  here.  They  are  known  to  all  who  read  our  daily 
newspapers.  The  present  political  and  financial  outlook  for 
Peru  is  most  grave. 

The  bank  bills  are — as  in  Ecuador — engraved  by  the 
American  Bank-Hote  Company,  of  Hew  York.  They  sim- 
ply state  that  the  Bepublic  of  Peru  will  pay  to  the  bearer 
so  many  soles — a sole  being  there  about  five  cents  in  Ameri- 


LIMA . 


61 


can  money.  There  were  also  in  circulation  dollars,  and 
twenty  and  ten  cent  pieces,  but  the  paper  soles  abounded  in 
astonishing  quantities,  as  was  necessary,  since,  with  an  armful 
in  bulk,  you  had  but  little  in  actual  value,  for  at  the  time  of 
my  visit  money  was  at  a depreciation  of  ninety-five  per  cent. 
The  large  silver  dollars  of  Peru  and  Chili  are  heavy  and  in- 
convenient, but  a pocketful  at  least  represented  something. 
There  is  a mint  in  Lima,  a well-built,  two-story  edifice,  with 
the  customary  interior  courts,  fountains,  and  flowers.  Na- 
tive soldiers  stand  on  guard  at  the  doors,  as  they  do  at  all 
public  institutions  in  Lima.  The  mint  has  facilities  for  turn- 
ing out  one  million  dollars  a month,  but  was  not  then  run- 
ning to  the  amount  of  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars  per  month,  and  this  only  in  the  coinage  of 
silver-dollar  pieces.  There  are  no  Peruvian  gold  coins,  and 
the  smaller  denominations  of  silver  money  were  largely  su- 
perseded by  the  paper  money  in  circulation.  Nearly  all  the 
silver  comes  from  the  mines  of  Cerro  Pasco.  It  arrives  at 
the  mint  in  huge  bars,  and  is  remarkably  pure.  The  ma- 
chinery of  the  mint  embraces  both  English  and  American 
appliances.  I wTas  shown  a collection  of  silver  and  copper 
medals  which  had  been  struck  there,  and  I admired  the  skill 
and  taste  of  the  workmanship. 

One  day  I went  down  to  Callao,  and  then  took  boat  and 
boarded  the  Chilian  cruiser  Esmeralda.  I found  a finely 
proportioned  war-vessel,  which,  being  more  intended  for 
speed  and  distance  than  for  heavy  and  close  work,  was  ar- 
mored only  with  steel  plates  three  fourths  of  an  inch  in 
thickness.  She  carried  six  rifled  guns,  of  six-inch  aperture, 
wTith  the  most  scientific  accessories,  and  two  large  guns,  fore 
and  aft,  for  powerful  and  remote  range.  These  two  guns  are 
of  ten-inch  bore,  rifled,  and  carry  a cartridge  of  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  pounds,  firing  with  a certain  degree  of  accu- 
racy six  miles.  The  officers  assured  me  they  could  with 
these  shell  Lima  at  a distance  of  seven  miles.  As  far  as 
modern  equipment  goes,  this  vessel  had  long  been  regarded 
as  the  most  perfect  war-vessel  of  its  type  and  tonnage 


62  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

in  existence.  She  has  justified  the  praises  bestowed  upon 
her,  not  only  by  performances  on  the  measured  mile,  but 
also  by  sustained  speed  in  long  ocean-voyages.  In  ^ trip 
from  Valparaiso  to  Callao,  she  once  traveled  fifteen  hun- 
dred .miles  in  fonr  days  and  seven  hours,  thus  making  an 
average  speed  of  about  three  hundred  and  fifty  miles  per 
day. 

Another  day  I visited  the  Alameda  de  los  Descalzos,  a 
sort  of  public  promenade  on  the  other  side  of  the  Rimac, 
beginning  at  a plaza  and  ending  at  the  church  and  convent  of 
the  Barefooted  Friars.  The  occasion  was  one  on  which  the 
latter  give  away  food  to  the  poor,  and  all  Lima  was  there  to 
witness  the  spectacle.  The  promenade  consists  merely  of  a 
long,  wide,  gravel  wTalk,  faced  by  rows  of  white  vases  filled 
with  flowers,  and  furnished  with  large  marble  settees,  statu- 
ary, some  shrubbery,  and  poplars.  The  entrance  was  quite 
imposing,  with  arches  of  brick  and  stucco.  Every  South 
American  town  of  any  size  has  its  alameda.  This  ‘custom 
of  the  friars  occurs  annually  on  August  2d,  and  on  this  date 
many  of  the  best  people  in  Lima  visit  this  church  to  worship 
on  an  occasion  believed  to  be  especially  favorable  for  remis- 
sion of  sin  and  admission  of  salvation.  The  convent  inclos- 
ure was  filled  with  a motley  crowd  of  mendicants  and  poor 
people,  who  were  mostly  women.  They  carried  tin  cups  and 
basins,  and  what  appeared  very  like  discarded  tomato-cans,  to 
be  filled  with  food  by  the  friars.  In  the*  street  before  the 
church  were  the  stands  of  a dozen  or  so  sellers  of  chicha  and 
other  native  drinks,  fruits,  candies,  etc.  Hacks  and  tram-cars 
were  continually  bringing  new  arrivals,  all  clad  in  their  best 
clothes,  and  a regular  Spanish  fete  was  made  out  of  a simple 
religious  ceremony. 

The  Panteon,  or  general  cemetery  of  Lima,  is  situated  a 
short  distance  beyond  the  eastern  limits  of  the  city.  It  is 
not  large,  and  has  few  trees  or  flowers,  but  contains  many 
beautiful  monuments,  nearly  all  of  them  of  marble.  At  the 
entrance  is  a chapel,  beneath  the  large  dome  of  which  reclines 
upon  a high  pedestal  a white-marble  “dead  Christ.”  The 


dOBQi 


Dmmfim 

*aea«i 

IIUDS 

iioad 
•Qaom  j 
cad 

escape! 


nnn 


T/ie  General  Cemetery  of  Lima. 


LIMA. 


63 


greater  number  by  far  of  tbe  dead  lie  in  mural  niches,  as  is 
the  custom  in  Quito.  Many  thousands  of  niches  are  ar- 
ranged in  long  rows  of  five  tiers  each,  with  narrow  paths 
between.  A few  vaults  are  seen,  and  quite  a number  of 
monuments,  but  no  graves,  no  burials  directly  in  the  earth,  as 
with  us. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

GLEV1PSES  OF  THE  PEEUVIAHS. 

Lima  has  two  public  gardens — one  especially  devoted  to 
botanical  collections,  and  the  other  to  zoology  and  botany. 
The  latter  is  situated  at  the  extreme  southeastern  angle  of 
the  city,  upon  a level  plain.  It  is  not  large,  but  contains  a 
splendid  assortment  of  tropical  trees,  plants,  and  flowers,  with 
fountains,  statues,  rockeries,  and  paths  extending  in  every 
direction.  The  whole  is  surrounded  by  a high  iron  fence, 
with  a number  of  splendid  gateways  in  the  style  of  the  Arc 
de  Triomphe  in  Paris.  Opposite  one  of  these  gates  is  a fine 
marble  statue  of  u Columbus  and  the  Indian,”  elevated  upon 
a granite  pedestal.  This  was  set  up  in  1853,  and  dedicated 
to  the  memory  of  Columbus,  by  the  Peruvian  nation,  and  is 
greatly  superior  to  the  one  at  Aspinwall.  Prom  this  point 
you  have  a superb  view  of  the  Andes  on  the  one  hand  and 
of  the  ocean  on  the  other.  In  the  center  of  this  beautiful 
and  interesting  garden  stands  the  Exposition  Building,  whose 
name  indicates  its  purpose,  a large,  square,  two-story  edifice 
of  brick  and  stucco,  but  very  elaborately  and  gracefully 
decorated.  In  other  parts  of  the  garden,  are  summer-houses 
for  the  President  and  the  director  of  the  exposition,  a band- 
stand, restaurants,  belvederes,  etc.  The  pavilion  of  the  Presi- 
dent is  a pretty  little  octagonal  wood  and  glass  fabric.  The 
flower-beds  are  all  sunk  a foot  or  so  below  the  intervening 
paths,  and  have  tight  brick  borders,  which  admit  of  their  be- 
ing irrigated  by  a system  of  canals  that  permeates  the  whole 
garden.  This  is  very  necessary,  for  the  plain  is  hot  and  dry, 
and  the  soil  not  very  rich.  The  garden  was  much  injured 


A House  Entrance , Lima. 


GLIMPSES  OF  TEE  PERUVIANS . 


65 


by  the  Chilian  invaders,  and  the  zoological  department  had 
been  reduced  to  a few  cages  of  uninteresting  animals,  the 
remainder  having  been  removed  to  Chili.  The  Peruvian 
Government  was  slowly  endeavoring  to  repair  the  damages, 
and  set  the  place  once  more  in  order — a -work  of  considerable 
difficulty,  judging  from  the  dense  growth  of  weeds,  and  the 
neglected  appearance  of  the  paths.  On  Sundays  and  holi- 
days the  best  of  Lima’s  citizens  congregate  here.  On  these 
occasions  the  appearance  of  the  people  in  gala  attire,  the 
music  of  a fine  military  band,  and  the  splendid  flowers  from 
every  clime,  blend  in  a sensuous  panorama  that  pleases  both 
ear  and  eye.  At  this  vantage-point  the  fascinating  Lima 
belles  promenade  on  aj^fe-'day  in  all  their  beauty  and  gayety. 
The  botanical  garden  par  excellence  is  in  the  same  quarter, 
near  the  boulevard  made  by  Henry  Meiggs,  by  razing  the 
old  fortifications  which  once  nearly  circumvallated  the  city. 
The  garden  fills  an  entire  large  square.  It  contains  a really 
splendid  collection  of  the  tropical  and  semi-tropical  flora,  but 
is  in  a very  bad  condition,  overgrown  with  weeds,  with  but 
few  specimens  of  plants  labeled,  with  sloughy  paths,  moss-cov- 
ered greenhouses,  and  a general  air  of  neglect.  A lofty  iron 
fence  forms  one  side,  but  brown  mud  walls  the  others. 

The  dwelling-houses  of  the  wealthy  and  cultured  upper 
classes  of  Lima  are  built  upon  the  same  general  plan  which 
one  finds  in  all  Central  and  South  American  countries.  The 
distinguishing  features  are  the  flat  roof;  the  inner  court, 
from  which  the  rooms  are  generally  lighted  and  entered ; 
and  the  architectural  limitation  to  one  or  two  stories.  The 
balconies  always  face  the  street.  If  the  windows  open  on 
the  street,  they  are  usually  heavily  barred,  and  used  more 
for  ventilation  in  extremely  hot  weather  than  for  the  admis- 
sion of  light.  A broad  and  lofty  gateway  in  the  center  of 
the  house  will  conduct  you  over  a marble  pavement,  with 
porters’  rooms  on  each  side,  to  a small  court  probably  fur- 
nished with  huge  pots  or  boxes  of  flowers,  or  graceful  plants 
with  brilliantly  colored  leaves,  directly  to  what  we  should 
call  the  front  door.  This  opens  immediately  into  the  sitting- 
5 


66 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


room  or  family  parlor,  which  is  softly  illumined  from  win- 
dows facing  the  court  you  have  just  crossed.  As  yon  enter, 
you  have  a pleasant  view  across  this  room  to  the  grand  sa- 
loon and  another  court,  also  filled  with  flowers,  and  beyond 
this  to  the  doors  of  the  dining-room.  Still  farther  on  are 
the  pantry,  kitchen,  laundry,  and  servants’  quarters  facing 
upon  yet  another  and  the  third  court,  and  reached  from 
the  street  by  a long,  private  hall  quite  separate  from  the 
remainder  of  the  house.  On  the  side  opposite  the  rooms  I 
have  been  describing,  and  extending  the  entire  length  of  the 
house,  are  the  smoking-room,  library,  and  the  sleeping  and 
private  rooms  of  the  family.  All  these  communicate,  and 
when  no  guests  are  present  are  in  the  daytime  kept  open 
from  one  end  of  the  house  to  the  other.  The  large  number  of 
rooms  and  the  great  convenience  of  their  general  arrange- 
ment, first  please  the  eye  and  awaken  the  admiration  of  the 
stranger.  Such  a lavish  display  of  space  is  quite  novel  to  a 
traveler  from  the  cities  of  the  northern  part  of  the  American 
Continent.  The  typical  house  of  which  I am  speaking  has 
but  one  story,  so  there  is  no  labor  in  mounting  an  indefinite 
number  of  staircases,  as  with  us,  though  of  course  there  must 
still  be  some  delay  in  the  movements  of  the  servants.  Pict- 
ures, ornaments,  and  souvenirs  of  travel  are  distributed 
throughout  the  rooms.  The  public  parlors  are  a little  more 
lavishly  furnished  than  with  us,  though  one  will  never  find 
an  outrage  against  what  is  understood  as  good  taste.  .Rich 
velvet  carpets  cover  the  floors.  The  chandeliers  are  of  sil- 
ver and  crystal,  valuable  paintings  adorn  the  walls,  cabinets 
of  curiosities  occupy  the  corners,  huge  albums  load  the  tables. 
A piano  of  the  best  make,  and  generally  from  hew  York, 
is  always  present,  as  are  guitars  and  mandolins.  The  dinner- 
table  you  will  find  profusely  supplied  wuth  silver  and  cut- 
glass,  and  weighted  with  game,  vegetables,  fruits  of  unique 
character,  and  wines  of  vintages  strange  to  the  foreigner, 
who  nevertheless  will  be  anxious  to  cultivate  their  acquaint- 
ance. Ilouse-rent  in  Lima  is  very  high,  and  so  also  is  the 
cost  of  furnishing  a house  in  modern  style,  since  so  many 


A Lima  Belle, 


GLIMPSES  OF  THE  PERUVIANS 


67 


tilings  have  to  be  imported  from  distant  countries.  Serv- 
ants, however,  are  good  and  cheap  ; they  always  do  the  mar- 
keting. Coffee  is  generally  taken  on  rising,  at  eight ; break- 
fast is  at  eleven,  and  dinner  at  seven.  The  business  hours  of 
the  gentlemen  are  thus  largely  confined  to  the  afternoon,  and 
they  return  home  sufficiently  early  to  get  thoroughly  rested, 
dress  for  dinner,  and  of  course  take  a glass  of  bitters  and 
smoke  a cigarette.  You  will  discover  that  the  adults  of  the 
family — the  rising  generation — have  been  educated  in  either 
New  York  or  Paris,  and  have  traveled  extensively  in  both 
the  United  States  and  Europe,  if  not  also  in  India  and  China, 
and  possibly  around  the  world.  They  will  be  very  likely  to 
speak  English  and  French  in  addition  to  their  vernacular. 
The  ladies  you  will  find  dressed  richly  and  tastefully,  in  Eu- 
ropean fashion,  if  not  in  the  latest  of  French  styles,,  They 
will  receive  you  with  a quiet  and  graceful  dignity,  combined 
with  bright  conversational  powers  and  a display  of  great 
amiability.  The  gentlemen  will  be  sure  to  try  to  make  you 
feel  at  home,  give  you  a good  cigar,  and  ask  your  opinion  of 
the  bewitching  senoritccs . In  brief,  the  hospitality  one  meets 
in  Lima  is  of  a very  bountiful  and  agreeable  character,  and 
life  in  the  Peruvian  capital  is  most  delightful. 

While  one  sees  in  the  streets  and  other  public  places  of 
Lima  more  hags  and  homely  women,  both  young  and  old, 
than  in  most  other  cities  of  the  world,  yet  there  are  very 
frequently  to  be  met  young  girls  of  the  most  delicate,  re- 
fined, and  ravishing  beauty.  As  with  the  Quito  belles,  so 
with  those  of  Lima,  their  chief  beauty  is  to  be  found  in 
their  eyes,  which  are  truly  wondrous.  A whole  chapter 
might  be  devoted  to  them.  They  are  uniformly  of  a coal- 
like blackness,  lambent  though  soft.  They  do  not  flash,  but 
bum  with  steadfastness,  as  though  their  flame  would  never, 
never  die.  It  is  an  adjunct  of  beauty  quite  unknown  to 
other  nations,  and  but  slightly  approached  even  in  southern 
Spain.  Like  the  aristocratic  ladies  of  Quito,  those  of  Lima 
have  small  and  beautiful  hands  and  feet.  Their  carriage  is 
perfect  grace,  their  manner  the  acme  of  courtesy  and  good 


68 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


nature.  They  are,  however,  born  coquettes,  quite  conscious 
of  their  charms,  and  not  unwilling  to  exact  from  men  the 
meed  of  admiration.  They  are  eminently  capable  of  making 
a crusty  old  bachelor  see  the  error  of  his  ways,  from  which- 
ever hemisphere  he  may  happen  to  hail.  They  unflinchingly 
return  your  gaze  of  curiosity  or  admiration.  They  will  even 
acknowledge  the  bow  of  a susceptible  foreigner,  but  in  order 
to  know  them  one  must  not  only  be  fortified  with  introduc- 
tions of  the  most  irreproachable  character,  but  must  also  sub- 
mit to  the  supervision  and  constant  presence  of  mother,  aunt, 
married  sister,  or  friend.  No  such  thing  is  known  as  a visit 
to  a Lima  young  lady  without  the  perpetual  attendance  of 
one  of  these,  or  a duenna — that  is,  a governess  ; and  though 
some  of  these  attendants  are  not  unsusceptible  to  flattery, 
they  never  relax  their  Cerberusdike  guard.  A bad  custom,  to 
which  I must  allude,  is  that  of  heavily  painting  and  powder- 
ing the  face — a universal  ahd  by  no  means  improving  fashion. 
The  dress  usually  is  somber  black,  the  mantilla  being  worn 
only  on  the  head,  with  a narrow  fringe  of  lace  which  is 
drawn  down  over  the  forehead  to  the  eyes.  If  the  wearer 
is  not  pretty,  this  lace  is  apt  to  be  so  arranged  as  to  quite 
conceal  the  features,  thus  kindly  giving  one’s  imagination 
the  benefit  of  a generous  doubt.  The  young  ladies  have  a 
pretty  and  noticeable  custom  of  greeting  their  female  friends 
in  the  street  and  elsewhere,  by  putting  their  arms  around 
each  other,  and  imprinting  a kiss  upon  each  cheek.  But  I 
can  not  set  forth  all  their  loveliness  and  attractiveness  in 
words  ; their  anatomy,  yes  ; their  psychology,  no.  So  much, 
then,  for  the  exterior  appearance  of  a Lima  belle.  In  their 
homes  they  are  not  generally  good  housekeepers,  but  given 
to  gossip  and  novel-reading.  They  smoke  cigarettes,  but  do 
not  usually  drink  wine.  They  have  natural  talents  of  a high 
order,  and  are  intelligent  if  not  always  deeply  educated. 
They  play  and  sing,  embroider,  and  draw  well.  They  go  to 
mass  every  morning.  In  one  of  the, stores  I purchased  a fair 
series  of  Lima  views,  inclosed  in  a good  imitation  of  a silver 
dollar.  This,  at  one  end,  with  characteristic  Peruvian  gal- 


The  Fandom  50  of  Peru. 


GLIMPSES  OF  TEE  PERUVIANS \ 


69 


lantry,  is  dedicated  to  the  “ Senoritas  Limenas.”  At  the 
other  end  it  modestly  affirms  that  “ Lima  is  the  qneen  of  the 
Pacific,  noted  for  its  climate  and  the  beauty  of  its  women.” 
I feel  in  duty  bound  to  subscribe  to  the  last  statement,  but 
as  regards  the  climate  I must  withhold  such  a ready  indorse- 
ment. I saw  the  sun  but  once  in  ten  days,  and  then  only  for 
a few  hours.  The  days  were  damp  and  raw,  the  nights 
misty  and  drizzly,  without  any  actual  rainfall,  but  with  a dew 
of  such  density  and  quantity  that  the  streets  for  half  the 
day  were  very  muddy  and  slippery.  And  just  such  weather 
as  this,  I was  informed  by  an  old  resident,  you  will  find  here 
for  five  months  of  the  year,  while  the  remainder  will  be  very 
hot  and  dry.  Still,  the  climate,  though  a most  depressing 
one — at  least  in  winter — is  said  to  be  fairly  healthy. 

One  day  I witnessed  one  of  the  religious  processions  so 
often  to  be  seen  in  these  zealous  Roman  Catholic  countries. 
First  came  priests  in  white  cassocks,  ,with  candles  and  other 
ecclesiastic  adjuncts.  Their  stupid  and  often  sensual  coun- 
tenances topped  by  the  tonsured  hair,  made  an  almost  un- 
canny sight.  Then  came  large  effigies  of  saints,  reared  upon 
gold  and  white  pedestals,  surrounded  by  flowers  and  crimson 
drapery,  and  borne  upon  the  shoulders  of  men  concealed  be- 
neath them.  The  figures  were  gaudily  painted  in  almost 
everv  imaginable  color,  and  were  horrid  caricatures  of  un- 
holy  humanity.  ISText  followed  other  priests,  in  robes  stiff 
with  gold  embroidery.  A military  band  and  a detachment  of 
troops  closed  this  procession  ; but  I soon  saw  another  of  like 
character,  following  a similar  galaxy  of  wooden  saints.  The 
two  processions  met  opposite  the  government-house,  and  the 
saints  of  the  one  were  made  to  salaam  to  those  of  the  other. 
Then  the  two  processions  united  and  marched  off  in  the 
direction  whence  one  of  them  had  come.  The  explanation 
is,  that  it  was  simply  a church  fete-day  (or  days,  for  it  lasted 
during  two  of  them),  and  that  one  of  the  saints  was  merely 
observing  the  social  amenities  by  paying  a visit  to  a brother 
saint.  The  former  was  escorted  to  the  other’s  church,  and 
placed  near  the  altar  in  a prominent  position,  where  he  re- 


70 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


mained  until  the  following  day,  when,  with  a similar  public 
display,  he  returned  home  to  his  own  church.  Previous  to 
his  return  the  church  of  Santo  Domingo  was  brilliantly  illu- 
minated in  his  honor  with  a thousand  candles,  and  an  orches- 
tra gave  very  good  music,  relieved  at  times  by  the  military 
band  and  the  singing  of  a choir  of  monks  and  hired  pro- 
fessionals. This  church  wTas  packed  with  people  all  day 
long,  and  presented  a most  extraordinary  sight  to  one  stand- 
ing at  the  doors,  the  congregation  being  clad  entirely  in 
black,  and  resembling  participants  in  a very  lachrymose  fu- 
neral. In  fact,  it  was  rather  a jubilation  than  a requiem.  The 
senoritas  were  undoubtedly  enjoying  themselves,  and  in  a 
city  with  few  public  amusements  a church  fete  is  a godsend. 
The  music  was  predominantly  of  the  waltz  variety.  The 
adjoining  convent  and  cloisters  were  thrown  open  to  the 
public,  who  availed  themselves  of  the  unusual  opportunity  to 
inspect  a series  of  paintings  which  entirely  surrounds  the 
wall  of  the  court  and  consists  chiefly  of  devils,  with  the  con- 
ventional spike-horns  and  caudal  appendage,  and  holy  men 
wTith  uplifted  eyes  and  glossy  pates,  many  being  supplied  with 
the  trade-mark  as  originally  discovered  by  Mark  Twain.  All 
the  legends  and  mythology  of  the  Church  are  here  pictured, 
and-  accompanied*  with  pious  texts,  objurgations,  and  exhor- 
tations. During  the  day  the  bells  were  kept  clanging  and 
banging,  to  the  disgust  of  all  foreigners  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  at  night  the  tower  of  the  church  was  illuminated.  One 
other  similar  ceremony  I did  not  witness,  but  read  of  it  in  the 
Lima  newspapers.  It  occurred  at  Chorillos,  the  neighboring 
fashionable  sea-bathing  resort.  It  was  to  the  effect  that,  on 
the  occasion  of  the  feast  of  St.  Peter,  his  image,  accompanied 
by  a silent  and  respectful  crowd,  was  embarked  and  fur- 
nished with  a fishing-line.  After  sailing  twice  around  the 
bay,  he  caught  a large  fish,  and  then  returned  to  his  pedestal 
in  Chorillos  church.  And  all  this  not  in  the  dark  ages,  but 
in  that  styled,  in  the  histories  of  civilization,  the  era  of  en- 
lightenment ! How  true  it  is  that  theologies  are  largely  mat- 
ters of  imagination,  and  religions  of  education  ! 


GLIMPSES  OF  THE  PERUVIAN'S. 


71 


From  a contemplation  of  these  religio-dramatic  shows  to 
a consideration  of  other  diversions  of  the  Peruvians  is  a 
natural  and  an  easy  transition.  There  were  formerly  three 
theatres  in  Lima.  The  best  of  these,  a fine,  large  structure, 
giving  entertainments  of  a high  class,  both  operatic  and  dra- 
matic, was  burned  a short  time  before  my  visit.  A smaller 
and  less  important  one  had  been  sold,  and  was  being  torn 
down  to  make  room  for  other  business.  The  third,  and  only 
remaining  one,  had  been  made  out  of  an  old  circus-building. 
It  is  very  plain,  but  has  a large  parquette,  a tier  of  boxes, 
and  a gallery.  It  will  seat  two  thousand  people,  and  is  gen- 
erally devoted  to  the  presentation  of  the  light  comic  operas 
which  all  the  Latin  race  love  so  well.  In  the  northern  part 
of  the  city,  and  reached  by  a fine  bridge  of  stone  and  iron 
across  the  little  Pimac,  stands  the  Bull-Ping,  a very  old  but 
ever-popular  institution.  The  building  is  two  stories  in 
height,  is  made  of  mud  and  bamboo,  and  will  contain  ten 
thousand  people.  There  are  two  clubs  in  Lima.  One,  called 
the  Phoenix,  is  patronized  almost  exclusively  by  foreigners. 
The  other,  the  Union,  is  sustained  by  Peruvians.  The  Union 
would  be  no  discredit  to  London  or  ISTew  York,  with  its 
marble  entrance,  double  staircase,  its  reading,  billiard,  and 
card  rooms,  and  large  and  elegant  dining-room,  with  bronze 
chandeliers  and  carved  sideboards.  In  the  front  of  the  build- 
ing, facing  upon  the  Grand  Plaza,  is  a very  large  ball-room, 
decorated  in  white  and  gold,  with  frescoed  walls  and  crystal 
chandeliers.  A ball  is  given  once  a month  during  the  win- 
ter. At  the  request  of  any  of  the  members,  foreigners  and 
visitors  are,  as  with  us,  given  the  privileges  of  these  clubs 
for  the  period  of  one  month. 


CHAPTEK  IX. 


RAILROADING  ABOVE  THE  CLOUDS. 

On  August  8th.  I left  Lima  and  Callao  for  Mollendo,  a 
seaport  about  five  hundred  miles  to  the  southward,  my  in- 
tention being  to  travel  thence,  if  possible — for  there  were 
bands  of  revolutionists  in  the  neighborhood — by  rail  to  Are- 
quipa,  the  second  city  of  Peru,  and  the  town  of  Puno  on 
Lake  Titicaca,  and  then  over  the  lake  and  by  coach  to  La 
.Paz,  the  capital  of  Bolivia.  My  steamer  was  the  Pizarro, 
a line,  large  vessel  of  the  Pacific  Steam  Navigation  Company. 
There  was  accommodation  for  at  least  two  hundred  first-class 
passengers,  though  we  carried  not  more  than  thirty.  We 
called  first  at  the  town  of  Pisco,  connected  by  rail  with  the 
town  of  lea  in  the  interior.  Ten  or  twelve  miles  to  our  right 
lay  the  three  Chincha  Islands,  with  their  gray  bluffs  shining 
in  the  bright  morning  sun.  Guano  has  played  a very  im- 
portant part  in  the  more  modern  history  of  Peru,  and  enor- 
mous new  deposits  have  lately  been  discovered,  equal  in 
quality  to  that  of  these  famous  islands.  At  Pisco  we  took 
on  board  vegetables,  fruit,  straw  baskets,  and  of  course  a lot 
of  the  long  earthenware  cylinders  full  of  Pisco  wine,  a spe- 
cialty of  the  place.  As  in  tjie  northern  part  of  the  Peruvian 
coast,  so  several  of  the  southern  ports  were  closed  by  order 
of  the  Lima  Government.  Thus  we  made  but  two  stops  be- 
tween Callao  and  Mollendo,  Pisco  being  one  and  Tambo  de 
Mora,  an  insignificant  town,  the  other. 

We  arrived  at  Mollendo  about  midday,  and  our  steamer 
was  immediately  ordered  by  a Peruvian  man-of-war  in  the 
roadstead  not  to  anchor.  So  I thought  that  my  plan  of  jour- 


RAILROADING  ABOVE  THE  CLOUDS. 


73 


neying  by  rail  to  Lake  Titicaca  was  nipped  in  the  bnd.  Bnt 
it  seemed  that  this  order  was  only  for  the  display  of  a little 
authority,  for  when  the  captain  of  the  port  came  on  board 
he  told  me  that  I could  not  only  go  to  Arequipa  but  also 
across  the  continent  if  I liked.  The  town  of  Mollendo  shows 
from  the  sea  as  only  a small  collection  of  mud  and  bamboo 
huts,  perched  without  any  regularity  of  streets  upon  a rocky 
bluff.  Beyond  are  the  customary  sand-hills  of  the  Peruvian 
coast,  without  a spear  of  vegetation  of  any  kind  in  sight.  A 
tremendous  swell  rolls  into  the  harbor,  and  the  landing  of 
freight  and  passengers  is  always  difficult,  steam-cranes  being 
employed  in  raising  and  lowering  both,  the  passengers  fast- 
ened in  chairs.  My  first  visit  is  to  the  chief  of  police ; 
and  to  avoid  suspicion  I find  it  best  to  be  rated  as  a mer- 
chant. For  my  passport  I have  to  pay  a silver  dollar.  Mol- 
lendo exists  only  as  the  terminus  of  the  railway  to  Puno  and 
Lake  Titicaca.  A passenger  train  is  run  to  Arequipa  every 
other  day  of  the  week,  returning  on  the  intervening  days. 
At  night,  sitting  upon  the  broad  piazza  of  the  hotel,  the  roar 
of  the  surf,  the  wThite  flashing  of  the  spray  upon  the  rocks, 
the  darkness  of  the  town  and  distant  ocean,  have  a romantic 
effect  upon  the  traveler,  tired  out  with  the  rolling  steamer, 
and  desiring  only  to  be  left  alone  with  his  impressions  of 
past  scenes  and  his  reflections  and  hopes  regarding  those  to 
come. 

I left  Mollendo  for  Arequipa,  at  half-past  seven  in  the 
morning.  Our  train  consisted  of  a very  powerful,  large 
locomotive  made  in  Paterson,  New  Jersey,  two  baggage- 
cars,  and  two  passenger-cars  for  first  and  second  class  travel- 
ers. These  cars  were  made  in  Troy,  New  York.  The  en- 
gines burn  coal,  though  when  the  Chilians  were  in  possession 
of  this  district  the  very  hard  olive-wood  of  the  country  had 
to  be  substituted.  The  first-class  passengers  have  to  pay  eight 
silver  dollars  and  a government  tax  of  forty  cents  on  their 
tickets.  The  baggage  must  also  be  paid  for  at  the  rate  of 
ten  cents  for  each  piece,  for  which  paper  receipts  are  given. 
The  engineers  are  foreigners,  generally  North  Americans, 


74 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


while  the  conductors,  brakemen,  and  firemen  are  natives. 
The  road  is  of  the  regulation  broad  gauge.  The  heaviest 
grade  is  four  per  cent — that  is,  four  feet  rise  in  one  hundred 
feet  long,  or  about  two  hundred  and  twelve  feet  per  mile. 
For  the  first  ten  miles  it  runs  close  by  the  sea.  It  then  turns 
abruptly  toward  the  northeast,  and  passes  over  a sandy  plain 
to  the  station  of  Tambo,  ten  miles  farther,  and  at  an  altitude 
of  one  thousand  feet  above  the  sea.  At  Tambo  we  take  on 
board  a large  number  of  passengers,  and  then  move  on,  stop- 
ping at  two  unimportant  places,  consisting  of  little  more  than 
station-houses,  until  we  halt  for  breakfast  at  Cachendo,  three 
thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  high,  and  thirty-five 
miles  from  Mollendo.  At  a hotel  near  the  station  we  get  a 
very  palatable  breakfast,  with  good  wine,  for  one  dollar  and 
fifty  cents.  Going  on  from  Cachendo,  we  pass  over  an  enor- 
mous sandy  plain,  in  some  parts  reminding  me  of  the  alkali 
plains  of  the  great  American  Desert,  in  others  of  the  Sahara 
south  from  Tripoli,  with  its  smooth  sand,  its  scattered  stones, 
and  its  hillocks.  Near  the  coast  there  are  at  least  coarse  grass 
and  low  scrub,  but  from  here  until  we  reach  the  Dio  Chili 
there  is  not  a particle  of  vegetation  of  any  kind,  not  even  a 
scraggy  cactus.  In  ascending  the  mountains  we  have  to 
make  what  in  a direct  line  would  not  be  more  than  half  the 
distance.  In  one  place  the  road  winds  almost  entirely  around 
a small  mountain,  with  a very  steep  grade  the  entire  distance. 
So  steep  are  the  hills  that  frequently  you  can  look  below,  a 
distance  of  a thousand  feet,  upon  a section  of  track  you  have 
passed  over,  and  upon  which  it  appears  as  if  a stone  might 
easily  be  thrown.  Sometimes  we  would  run  along  one  side 
of  a valley,  and  then,  making  an  almost  complete  circle,  crawl 
along  the  opposite  side,  always  ascending  the  while ; some- 
times we  would  pass  in  zigzag  fashion  up  the  flank  of 
a mountain,  with  five  stretches  of  the  road  in  view  at  the 
same  moment ; sometimes  we  would  run  at  sharp  angles,  and 
again  in  the  most  sinuous  manner  imaginable.  Upon  the 
steep  grades  we  made  but  eight  miles  an  hour,  but  on  others 
twelve  to  fifteen.  Away  to  our  right  was  a range  of  green- 


RAILROADING  ABOVE  THE  CLOUDS. 


75 


ish-white  hills,  whose  color  one  would  mistake  at  a distance 
for  the  presence  of  snow,  but  which  was  merely  a deposit  of 
pumice  and  salt.  Before  us  towered  the  majestic  snow- 
capped extinct  volcano  of  the  Misti,  directly  at  whose  foot 
lies  the  city  of  Arequipa.  A little  to  the  left  was  a huge 
cluster  of  sharp-pinnacled  snow-mountains,  among  them 
Charchani,  nineteen  thousand  eight  hundred  feet  high ; and 
still  farther  away,  toward  the  left,  the  huge,  dome-shaped 
Coropuna,  three  thousand  feet  higher.  Coropuna  much 
resembles  Chimborazo  in  its  general  outline,  and  is  quite  as 
widely  and  deeply  covered  with  the  purest  white  snow. 
Charchani,  though  much  darker  in  color,  and  with  less  snow 
atop,  has  almost  exactly  the  contour  of  Cotopaxi.  Scattered 
over  the  plain  were  huge  dunes  of  fine  white  sand  accurately 
and  smoothly  arranged  in  crescent  shapes,  with  acute  crests, 
their  openings  generally  to  the  northeast,  whence  the  prevail- 
ing winds  blow,  though  the  mounds  themselves  are.  produced 
rather  by  the  whirling  eddies  hereabouts  prevalent.  I saw 
some  of  these  mounds  as  much  as  fifty  feet  long  and  twenty 
in  height.  It  is  the  want  of  vegetation  and  their  lightness 
(caused  by  their  being  drier  than  the  sand  of  the  coast)  which 
enables  these  sand-banks  to  be  driven  by  violent  winds  rap- 
idly over  the  plain.  The  smaller  ones  are  soon  overtaken  by 
the  larger,  which  are  shivered  in  crushing  the  others.  The 
heat  in  passing  this  plain  was  very  oppressive,  and  the  glare 
from  the  reflected  sun  greater  than  that  experienced  in  any 
Persian  or  Nubian  desert.  The  motion  of  the  train  raised 
such  a fine,  penetrating  dust  that,  notwithstanding  the  tem- 
perature, we  were  obliged  to  close  all  the  car-windows.  To 
convey  an  accurate  impression  of  this  district  in  intelligible 
words  seems  almost  impossible.  Whether  I consider  the  vast 
scale  and  frightful  sterility  of  the  scenery,  or  the  ingenious 
manner  in  which  puny  man  has  literally  bearded  savage 
Nature  in  her  awful  fastnesses,  I am  struck  dumb  with  wonder 
and  curiosity.  Even  the  stolid  and  ignorant  natives  seem 
interested,  and  crane  their  necks  from  the  windows  over  a 
fearful  precipice  of  gray  rock,  at  whose  base  roars  a deep  tor- 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


76 

rent.  The  excavations  from  here  on  are  tremendous,  and 
the  engineering  is  marvelous.  The  grade,  besides,  is  very 
steep.  The  locomotive  puffs  and  wheezes,  and  seems  almost 
too  tired  to  proceed.  At  Tingo  we  pass  the  torrent  we  had 
been  so  long  following,  and  span  it  upon  an  iron  girder 
bridge,  fifty  feet  in  height,  the  only  bridge  upon  this  division 
of  the  road.  We  now  enter  the  great  plain  upon  which 
stands  the  city  of  Arequipa.  It  looks  very  green  and  fertile, 
and  is  in  most  places  carefully  cultivated  and  irrigated  by 
little  canals.  There  are  no  trees  save  eucalypti,  and  but  few 
straggling  houses.  At  half-past  four,  after  a journey  of  nine 
hours,  we  reached  the  southern  outskirts  of  Arequipa,  and 
drew  up  in  a fine  iron  station,  one  hundred  and  seven  miles 
from  Mollendo,  and  seven  thousand  five  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  above  it. 

Near  the  station  are  the  former  headquarters  of  Mr.  J.  M. 
Thorndike,  a resident  now  of  Lima,  but  who  was  once  the 
lessee,  contractor,  and  manager  of  the  three  roads  of  south- 
ern Peru.  I should  explain  that  these  roads  embrace  that 
from  Mollendo  to  Arequipa,  one  hundred  and  seven  miles ; 
that  from  Arequipa  to  Puno,  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Titicaca, 
two  hundred  and  eighteen  miles ; and  that  northward  toward 
Cuzco,  to  Santa  Posa,  eighty-two  miles.  Mr.  Thorndike’s 
late  residence  is  a splendid  large,  square  house,  situated  in  a 
beautiful  garden  of  flowers,  and  with  an  imposing  entrance 
of  cut-stone  posts  and  iron  railings.  The  dwelling  itself  is 
of  dressed  stone  and  wood,  with  a peaked  iron  roof  and  great 
oval-topped  windows.  It  is  of  two  stories,  with  lofty  ceil- 
ings, and  the  upper  story  has  a broad,  concrete-paved  piazza, 
not  extending  beyond  the  walls  of  the  lower  story,  but  open 
upon  every  side,  this  novel  arrangement  affording  air,  light, 
and  a capital  view  of  the  whole  plain  and  distant  mountains 
in  every  direction.  On  this  floor  are  four  large  and  elegant- 
ly furnished  bedrooms.  Below  is  a splendid  parlor  as  large 
as  a ball-room,  and  still  bearing  traces  of  Chilian  unbidden 
guests,  in  the  shape  of  bullet-holes  in  the  walls  and  blood- 
stains upon  the  carpet,  two  Peruvians  having  been  shot  in 


RAILROADING  ABOVE  THE  CLOUDS. 


77 


this  very  room.  Then  there  is  a billiard  room,  with  a rich 
table  of  inlaid  woods,  a library  with  a choice  collection  of 
books,  a reception-room,  office,  dining-room,  other  bedrooms, 
and  an  elegantly  appointed  bath-room,  the  whole  being  ar- 
ranged in  the  commodious  and  comfortable  manner  much 
more  peculiar  to  North  than  to  South  America.  I was 
kindly  favored,  by  Mr.  Thorndike,  with  a letter  of  introduc- 
tion to  his  able  and  courteous  superintendent,  Mr.  V.  H. 
MacCord,  who,  upon  my  arrival,  at  once  gave  me  a hearty 
welcome  to  the  charming  home  just  described. 

The  grounds  of  the  general  railway  headquarters  embrace 
about  ten  acres.  Here  are  a round-house  for  twenty  locomo- 
tives ; a foundry ; blacksmith’s,  carpenter’s,  paint,  machine,  and 
ear  shops ; dwellings  for  the  employes  ; and  the  station  build- 
ing. The  shops  are  capable  of  making  cars,  and  even  loco- 
motives, and,  though  the  company  may  know  thus  exactly 
the  character  of  all  the  work  done,  yet  they  find  it  on  the 
whole  less  expensive  to  import  the  locomotives  from  New 
Jersey  and  the  cars  from  New  York.  The  regular  passen- 
ger train  from  Arequipa  to  Puno  runs  but  once  a week,  and 
takes  two  days  to  make  this  distance  ; but,  through  the  court- 
esy of  the  superintendent,  I was  forwarded  in  one  day  by  his 
private  engine,  the  accompanying  car  holding  eight  persons. 
The  railway-station  is  about  a mile  from  the.  center  of  the 
city,  with  which  it  is  connected  by  tram-car  at  irregular  inter- 
vals during  the  day,  and  not  at  all  after  six  o’clock  in  the 
evening.  I take  a walk  through  the  principal  streets,  which 
are  narrow,  and  paved  with  cobble-stones.  Along  the  curb 
of  the  pavement  are  open  sluices,  the  only  and  very  disa- 
greeable sewerage  of  the  city.  The-  houses  are  nearly  all  of 
but  one  story,  built  of  a sandstone  obtained  in  neighboring 
quarries  and  brought  to  town  on  the  backs  of  donkeys.  This 
stone  readily  admits  of  a fine  finish  and  elaborate  carving. 
The  former  may  be  seen  in  the  construction  of  any  of  the 
houses,  the  latter  upon  the  facades  of  any  of  the  churches. 
I everywhere  saw  terrible  effects  of  the  great  earthquake  of 
1868,  whole  streets  in  ruins,  great  cracks  in  churdhes  and 


78 


ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


walls.  The  Arequipa  of  to-day  is  mostly  built  upon  the 
ruins  of  that  of  1868.  The  cathedral,  however,  has  not  been 
completely  destroyed.  It  is  a line,  large  building  with  grace- 
ful columns  of  quite  a Greek  appearance,  niches,  statues, 
bronze  ornaments,  and  a noble  flight  of  marble  steps.  In- 
side are  a handsome,  carved,  wooden  pulpit  and  a large  organ. 
The  flooring  is  marble.  Arequipa  has  fair  hotels,  a theatre, 
a newspaper,  and  a foreigners’  club  with  good  appointments. 

I left  at  six  the  next  morning.  My  companions  in  the 
superintendent’s  private  car  were  a Bolivian  millionaire  and 
his  niece,  and  the  secretary  of  the  Bolivian  minister  at  Lima, 
who  were  bound,  together  with  myself,  for  La  Paz.  There 
were  also  the  legal  counselor  of  the  railway,  its  chief  road- 
master,  and  a physician,  all  bound  for  Puno.  The  party  had 
very  little  baggage,  and  just  comfortably  filled  the  car. 
Passing  a fine  iron  bridge,  sixteen  hundred  feet  in  length 
and  sixty-six  feet  in  height,  we  speed  away  to  the  northward, 
and  then  wind  around  the  Misti  to  the  eastward,  in  which 
general  direction  the  remainder  of  the  journey  continues. 
The  road  seems  immensely  full  of  curves ; but,  when  one  re- 
members that  it  was  contracted  for  by  the  mile,  perhaps  I 
mistake.  About  thirty  miles  from  Arequipa  we  pass  through 
the  only  tunnel  in  this  division.  It  is  four  hundred  feet 
long,  and  ninety-five  hundred  feet  above  sea-level.  Forty 
miles  farther  we  cross  a great  bridge  made  of  hollow 
wrought-iron  columns  and  girders,  and  very  similar,  in  gen- 
eral appearance,  to  the  famous  Verrugas  bridge  on  the  Oroya 
Bailroad.  It  is  about  two  hundred  feet  in  height  and  three 
hundred  feet  long.  The  country  through  which  we  pass  is 
without  vegetation  or  inhabitants.  The  stations,  which  are 
some  twenty  or  thirty  miles  apart,  are  simply  depots  for  coal 
and  water.  There  are  three  hotels  upon  the  road,  and  at  the 
second  of  these  we  stop  for  breakfast.  After  this  I take  a 
seat  in  the  locomotive  and  keep  it  to  the  end  of  the  journey. 
Here  one  has  a better  opportunity  to  study  the  engineering 
obstacles  that  have  been  surmounted,  and  to  get  some  infor- 
mation from  the  engineer,  who,  in  the  brief  intervals  be- 


RAILROADING  ABOVE  TEE  CLOUDS. 


79 


tween  working  the  throttle- valve  and  steam-brake,  is  willing 
to  talk.  It  is  quite  an  enervating  sensation  to  continually 
dash  around  corners  at  the  rate  of  forty  miles  an  hour,  where 
you  can  scarcely  see  the  length  of  the  locomotive  ahead. 
Engines  working  with  a train  up  the  steep  inclines  generally 
use  one  hundred  and  forty  pounds  of  steam.  Our  average 
was  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds,  and  with,  this  we  made, 
over  some  long  stretches  of  plain  near  Puno,  nearly  sixty 
miles  an  hour.  A beautiful  snowy  range  was  now  ahead, 
one  of  the  peaks  sending  high  aloft  a graceful  curve  of  smoke. 
This  was  the  volcano  Ubinas.  On  the  plains  we  passed  many 
herds  of  llamas,  alpacas,  and  occasionally  a few  of  the  wild 
vicunas.  The  latter  are  always  a reddish  color,  while  the  oth- 
ers are  of  various  hues,  though  brown,  black,  and  white  seem 
to  predominate.  They  are  all  ruminating  animals,  and  have 
long,  woolly  hair.  Sheep  also  we  saw,  and  a few  rough-look- 
ing cattle.  As  we  neared  the  lakes,  wild  fowd  became  abun- 
dant. There  seemed  to  be  absolutely  no  inhabitants  between 
Arequipa  and  Puno,  save  the  herdsmen,  the  station-hands, 
and  the  occupants  of  a small  village  near  Titicaca.  How 
they  get  food  I do  not  know,  for  the  plains  were  all  of  sand 
and  volcanic  rocks,  covered  with  pumice  and  saline  incrusta- 
tions. The  mirage  was  constantly  giving  us  large  lakes, 
where  we  knew  only  calcined  soil  existed.  On  the  whole, 
neither  the  scenery  nor  the  engineering  feats  made  this  sec- 
tion of  the  road  so  interesting  as  that  between  Mollendo  and 
Arequipa.  The  part  of  that  division  which  makes  the  final 
ascent  and  passage  of  the  mountains,  built  entirely  under  the 
very  skillful  survey  and  management  of  Mr.  Thorndike,  I 
have  never  in  any  land  seen  surpassed  for  interest.  The 
counselor — our  fellow-passenger — has  a large  grain  and  cat- 
tle estate  near  Puno,  and  there  we  were  courteously  invited 
to  stop  and  partake  of  an  off-hand  lunch.  We  were  all  suf- 
fering more  or  less  from  the  rarefaction  of  the  air,  but  a lit- 
tle walk  and  a glass  of  wine  proved  a rapid  restorer.  The 
entire  front  of  the  counselor’s  farm-house  was  ornamented 
with  a row  of  stuffed  yellow  foxes,  with  a superb  pair  of 


80 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


condors  over  the  entrance.  To  ns  the  effect  was  very  funny, 
but  the  destruction  of  grain  by  the  foxes  was  not  nearly  so 
funny  to  our  host.  As  we  proceeded,  we  passed  between 
two  of  the  highest  lakes  in  South  America — Saracocha,  thir- 
teen thousand  six  hundred  feet,  and  Cachipuscana,  thirteen 
thousand  five  hundred  and  eighty-five  feet,  above  the  sea. 
These  are  small  but  very  deep  lakes.  I did  not  notice  any 
native  craft  upon  them.  The  highest  point  on  the  railroad 
— fourteen  thousand  six  hundred  and  sixty- six  feet — is  about 
half-way  between  Arequipa  and  Puno. 


Silver  Head  from  an  Inca  Cemetery. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  ACME  OF  STEAMER  NAVIGATION. 

Puno  is  a small  town  lying  in  a semicircular  valley,  witli 
a very  prominent  and  imposing  cathedral,  but  there  is  noth- 
ing else  to  detain  the  traveler.  Puno  and  Cuzco,  the  old 
Inca  capital,  two  hundred  and  seven  miles  distant,  are  being 
connected  by  railway,  and  eighty-two  miles  have  now  been 
built  and  are  in  running  order.  Mr.  Thorndike  showed  me 
in  Lima  a rare  and  interesting  curiosity  taken  from  one  of 
the  old  Huacas  del  Inca,  or  Incarial  cemeteries,  near  Cuzco. 
It  was  a solid,  pure  silver  statuette— a human  head  and  bust 
— eight  inches  in  height,  and  weighing  eleven  pounds.  The 
head  was  decidedly  Homeric  in  aspect,  but  wore  a sort  of 
Persian  cap,  surmounted  by  a large,  radiating  sun.  The 
molding  and  carving  of  the  sun  in  such  a position  would  ap- 
pear to  indicate  a Persian  origin,  and  thus  again  support  the 
theory  of  trans-Paciiic  migration.  These  facts  were  called 
to  mind  by  hearing  that  a limited  liability  company  has  re- 
cently been  formed  at  Mollendo,  with  a capital  of  fifty 
thousand  dollars,  curiously  called  the  “Anonymous  Company 
for  Exploration  of  the  Inca  Sepulchres,”  with  the  object  of 
searching  for  antiquities  and  valuables  in  the  old  burial- 
grounds  in  the  district  of  Cuzco,  a concession  having  been 
granted  to  the  company  by  the  Government  for  this  purpose. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  many  valuable  curiosities,  and  prob- 
ably deposits  of  gold  and  silver,  exist  in  these  ancient  tombs, 
but  it  remains  to  be  seen  whether  they  will  repay  the  cost 
and  trouble  of  finding. 

At  the  end  of  a long  pier  on  which  the  cars  run,  lay  one 
6 


82 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


of  the  two  little  iron  steamers,  of  some  seventy-five  tons 
burden  each,  which  at  present  traverse  Lake  Titicaca.  Near 
it,  and  in  striking  contrast,  were  the  simple  rush  canoes  of 
the  natives.  This  part  of  the  lake  is  so  shallow  that  the 
steamers,  though  drawing  only  six  feet  of  water,  can  hut 
partially  load  here,  and  have  to  complete  their  cargoes  about 
two  miles  from  shore,  at  a spot  reached  by  a canal  which, 
owing  to  the  shifting  sands,  it  is  hard  to  keep  open.  A 
steam-launch  takes  us  on  board,  and  on  the  way  we  pass  a 
small  island,  on  top  of  which  I notice  a large  stone  pillar. 
This  is  erected  over  the  remains  of  the  well-known  natural- 
ist, explorer,  and  author,  James  Orton,  who  died  in  Puno,  of 
consumption,  wThile  setting  forth  to  explore  Bolivia,  after 
having  twice  crossed  the  continent  from  ocean  to  ocean. 
The  captain  of  my  steamer,  the  Yavari,  though  a native, 
spoke  English.  The  engineer  wTas  an  Englishman,  who  had 
been  in  these  countries  nearly  thirty  years.  The  steamer 
had  four  state-rooms,  two  for  the  ladies,  with  four  berths  in 
each,  and  two  for  the  gentlemen,  with  one  berth  in  each. 
The  majority  of  the  male  passengers  were  obliged,  therefore, 
to  sleep  on  the  benches  of  the  saloon.  Erom  Puno  to  Chili- 
laya,  in  Bolivia,  the  port  of  disembarkation  for  La  Paz,  the 
distance  is  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles,  and  the  cabin  fare 
is  sixteen  dollars.  I found  the  steamer  quite  full  of  people, 
there  being  a church  fair,  to  which  most  of  them  were 
bound,  at  Copacabana,  a town  on  a peninsula,  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  lake.  Our  freight  was  chiefly  lumber,  though  I 
saw  two  piano-boxes  labeled  La  Paz. 

Lake  Titicaca  is  the  highest  lake  in  the  world  navigated 
by  steam-vessels.  It  is  nearly  thirteen  thousand  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea,  is  seven  hundred  feet  deep,  and  covers 
an  area  of  four  thousand  square  miles,  a little  more  than  half 
the  size  of  Lake  Ontario.  The  water  is  a very  dark  green  in 
color.  We  left  the  anchorage  in  a blinding  snow-storm. 
The  lake  was  remarkably  smooth  during  our  passage,  but  I 
am  told  it  is  often  rough,  though  never  preventing  the  regu- 
lar trips  of  the  steamers.  The  only  stop  we  made  was  at 


Copacabana , Lake  Titicaca. 


THE  ACME  OF  STEAMER  HAVIGATIOK  83 

Copacabana,  in  Bolivia,  which  republic  claims  one  half  of 
Titicaca  and  its  peninsulas  and  islands.  The  town  itself  con- 
sists of  mud  huts  with  straw  roofs,  but  at  one  side  is  a fine 
large  brick  church,  wfith  ingenious  tile  ornamentation  upon  its 
towers.  This  church  is  a sort  of  Bolivian  Lourdes,  a sacred 
shrine  containing  an  especially  Immaculate  Lady,  to  whom, 
at  certain  seasons  of  the  year,  vast  throngs  of  natives  make 
pilgrimages.  We  pass  through  a narrow  strait  which  sepa- 
rates the  northern  from  the  southern  parts  of  the  lake : in 
the  former,  land  is  often  out  of  sight ; in  the  latter,  never. 
The  nearer  hills  are  always  brown  as  to  color,  and  barren  as 
to  vegetation.  On  the  east,  towers  the  great  snowy  range  of 
the  Andes.  This  extends  from  north  to  south  as  far  as  we 
can  see,  nearly  one  hundred  miles,  and  is  about  thirty  miles 
distant  from  the  lake.  It  contains  the  magnificent  peaks  of 
Illampu  or  Sorata,  Iiuani  Potosi,  Illimani,  and  others,  none 
of  which  are  less  than  fifteen  thousand,  while  Illampu  is 
nearly  twenty-five  thousand  feet  in  height,  and  the  highest 
mountain  in  South  America.  A smaller  peak  immediately 
to  the  north  is  the  exact  fac-simile  of  the  famous  Swiss  Mat- 
terhorn. In  Ecuador  the  Andean  giants  are,  as  we  have 
seen,  solitary  points,  and  many  miles  apart,  with  compara- 
tively low  lands  between ; but  here  there  is  a range  exactly 
like  the  Himalayas  as  to  elevation  and  extension.  It  must 
be  especially  remembered  that,  although  our  view  is  from 
the  dark  surface  of  the  smooth  water,  and  that  but  a low 
range  of  brown  hills  intervenes,  yet  the  position  from  which 
we  look  is  more  than  two  miles  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 
These  mountains  are  very  rugged  and  precipitous,  with 
many  acute  ridges  and  deep  valleys.  This  majestic  Cordillera 
of  the  Andes  is  one  of  the  most  imposing  spectacles  that 
I beheld  in  all  South  America.  And  I am  not  sure  that 
Illampu,  in  its  massive,  sharp-tipped  summit,  does  not  sur- 
pass in  grandeur  and  beauty  the  world-famous  Chimborazo. 
Think,  too,  of  the  splendid  coloring  of  the  picture  it  was  my 
privilege  to  enjoy  : first,  the  dark  green  of  the  lake,  then  the 
brown  of  the  hillocks,  next  the  purple  of  the  hills,  afterward 


84 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


the  black  and  gray  of  the  mountains,  and  finally  the  glisten- 
ing white  of  the  peaked,  serrated  summits,  with  a few  fleecy 
clouds  and  the  purest  blue  firmament  above ! I go  no  fur- 
ther, or  I must  rhapsodize.  But,  though  I traversed  a score 
of  worlds,  I can  never  forget  the  view  of  the  great  snowy 
Andes  east  of  Lake  Titicaca.  It  is  embalmed  forever  in  mem- 
ory, along  with  that  other  miraculous  sight — the  highest 
peaks  of  the  Himalayas,  the  loftiest  of  the  globe,  as  seen 
from  Darjeeling,  the  English  health-station,  four  hundred 
miles  due  north  from  Calcutta,  British  India. 

In  the  afternoon  we  anchored  near  the  port  of  Chililaya. 
Here  are  the  custom-houses,  a few  mud  huts,  and  two  hotels. 
Above  the  custom-house  was  flying  an  enormous  Bolivian 
flag — red,  yellow,  and  green,  in  three  horizontal  stripes.  The 
best  hotel  is  “ Grand ” in  title  only,  since  it  is  but  a quad- 
rangle of  mud  walls  with  tile  roof.  It  contains  a wretched 
billiard-table  and  a small  bar,  at  which  French  brandy  and 
“ cocktails”  generally  are  dispensed.  The  servants  of  the 
house  are  pure  Indians,  and,  of  course,  monumentally  stupid. 
The  country  round  about  is  literally  a howling  wilderness, 
for  the  wind  blows  fiercely,  beginning  at  four  in  the  after- 
noon and  lasting  until  midnight,  whirling  the  sand  of  the 
plains  in  clouds  of  penetrating  dust.  The  coaches  from  La 
Paz  must  arrive  to  meet  our  steamer  on  its  return  voyage, 
and  so  the  hotel  was  greatly  crowded.  Seven  in  the  morn- 
ing was  the  hour  set  for  our  departure  for  the  capital,  forty- 
two  miles  distant. 

It  required  two  coaches  and  a large  wagon  to  carry  all 
the  passengers  and  their  baggage  on  to  La  Paz.  The  coach 
on  top  of  which  I rode  was  a heavy  vehicle  of  the  American 
“Concord”  pattern.  It  was  drawn  by  eight  horses,  while 
each  of  the  other  teams  had  the  same  number  of  mules.  The 
road  was  good,  and  we  changed  animals  twice.  At  one  of 
the  stations  we  obtained  a substantial  breakfast.  On  leaving 
the  lake  we  entered  at  once  upon  a vast  level  plain,  in  which 
maize  appeared  to  be  most  cultivated,  though  the  soil  was 
very  poor,  a coarse  sort  of  gravel.  There  were  a number  of 


THE  ACME  OF  STEAMER  NAVIGATION \ 


85 


huts  scattered  about,  but  no  distinct  villages,  save  one  only, 
and  this  quite  a town,  about  half -way  between  Chililaya  and 
La  Paz.  The  huts  were  made  of  mud  bricks,  and  surrounded 
by  low  mud  walls.  They  were  not  more  than  six  feet  in 
height  from  the  ground  to  the  top  of  the  peaked  straw 
thatch.  There  was  only  one  opening,  a diminutive  door, 
excepting  in  some  rare  cases,  where  a small  hole  on  one  side 
allowed  the  escape  of  smoke.  About  many  of  the  huts,  and 
especially  those  at  the  stations,  were  stacks  of  coarse  yellow 
straw,  which  is  fed  to  mules  and  donkeys.  The  plain  is  a 
vast  table-land,  covered  with  gravel,  stones,  and  lava-like 
substances.  It  produces  only  coarse  grass.  Hot  a tree  or 
bush  of  any  description  was  in  sight.  Though  for  a few 
square  miles  the  land  had  been  partially  cleared  of  its  stones, 
wThich  wrere  piled  up  in  great  heaps  at  regular  intervals,  cul- 
tivation was  scarcely  attempted.  We  passed  a good  many 
flocks  of  sheep,  and  many  of  the  red  and  black  spotted  cattle, 
such  as  one  sees  in  the  neighborhood  of  Quito.  In  the  far 
distance,  to  the  southwest,  the  plain  was  bounded  by  a range 
of  low  brown  hills,  while  to  the  east  we  had,  during  the  whole 
day,  a mountain  view  to  which  all  the  appropriate  adjectives 
in  the  dictionary  could  not  do  full  justice.  As  we  rode  on, 
the  sun  beat  upon  us  with  intense  fervor,  and  the  dust  rose 
so  thickly  from  the  arid  plain  that  we  could  not  see  the  lead- 
ing horses.  We  met  only  a few  horsemen  and  a few  loaded 
donkeys  until,  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  La  Paz,  many 
roads  converged,  and  numbers  of  Indians  trudged  along,  driv- 
ing their  loaded  beasts  before  them.  Of  course,  I inferred 
the  proximity  of  the  capital  from  the  increasing  number  of 
travelers,  but  I certainly  was  not  prepared  for  my  first  view 
of  it.  The  table-land  seemed  all  at  once  to  come  to  an  end, 
and  to  fall  abruptly  away  to  the  depth  of  some  twelve  or 
fifteen  hundred  feet  directly  in  front  of  us.  We  suddenly 
halted,  and  alighting,  walked  a few  steps  ahead  to  the  edge 
of  the  plain,  when  at  once  appeared  one  of  the  most  extraor- 
dinary spectacles  I ever  remember  having  encountered.  If 
there  might  possibly  be  a doubt  about  the  advisability  of 


86  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

coming  all  the  way  from  [New  York  to  see  the  grand  mount- 
ains above  described,  I feel  sure  that,  if  to  them  were  added 
this  astonishing  vision  of  La  Paz,  the  traveler  would  indeed 
be  more  than  repaid. 

The  plain  fell  away,  as  I have  said,  in  a sudden  descent, 
and  then  spread  out  into  a valley,  snugly  ensconced  in  one 
corner  of  which  lay  the  city  of  La  Paz,  capital  of  the  Repub- 
lic of  Bolivia.  To  the  northwest  the  valley  closed  with  views 
of  Huani  Potosi,  peeping  above  its  edge.  To  the  east  were 
great  brown  rocky  hills,  and  to  the  southeast  were  others 
streaked  with  a red  metallurgic  rock  of  iron  and  cinnabar, 
still  others  being  of  a greenish  clay  deeply  furrowed  by  the 
floods,  which  fall  during  the  rainy  season.  Directly  above 
them  loomed  the  grand  form  of  Illimani,  to  the  height  of 
21,155  feet.  To  the  west  was  a splendid  zigzag  road,  which 
we  were  to  descend  to  the  city.  The  valley  in  which  lies 
La  Paz  is  about  three  miles  in  width  and  ten  miles  long. 
One  might  imagine  the  situation  of  this  capital  as  upon  the 
slope  of  one  of  the  lofty  Andean  chain,  but  never  as  tightly 
fitted  into  the  bottom  of  a steep-sided  valley  twelve  thousand 
feet  above  the  sea.  As  we  took  our  view  before  descending 
to  the  bottom  of  this  declivity,  we  could  see  before  us  only 
a few  green  fields  and  a few  covered  with  yellow  grain,  but 
the  soil  seemed  quite  as  barren  as  that  of  the  great  plain  over 
which  we  had  been  riding.  In  the  Grand  Plaza  I could 
plainly  see  the  parade  of  some  soldiers.  I looked  as  long  as 
our  coachman  would  allow  me  at  the  extraordinary  sight — a 
quaint  little  city  hidden  away  from  the  rest  of  the  world  in  the 
bosom  of  giant  and  somber  mountains.  The  native  passengers 
did  not,  however,  share  my  enthusiasm,  and  the  postilions 
having  shortened  the  pole-straps  and  breeching,  we  began  the 
descent  at  what  seemed  to  me  a very  break-neck  pace.  After 
half  an  hour  of  zigzagging  and  winding,  we  reached  the  city 
level,  and,  rattling  through  its  narrow  streets,  at  length  drew 
rein  in  a small  square  at  the  office  of  the  coach  company. 
The  square  was  crowded  with  Aymara  Indians  in  holiday 
attire,  a fiesta,  one  of  the  very  many  church  feasts  being  in 


TEE  ACME  OF  STEAMER  NAVIGATION. 


87 


progress.  A few  foreigners,  mostly  Germans,  were  awaiting 
the  arrival  of  the  coach,  as  was  also  the  only  American  then 
in  the  city,  Hon.  Richard  Gibbs,  minister  from  the  United 
States,  to  whom  I bore  letters  of  introduction.  Pie  received 
me  with  great  cordiality,  and  made  me  his  debtor  for  my 
after  acquaintance  with  the  capital  and  with  the  Aymaras. 
The  balconies  bf  the  neighboring  houses  were  filled  with 
smartly  dressed,  houri-eyed  senoritas , who  seemed  to  be  as 
heartily  en joying  the  fiesta  as  children  with  ns  do  the  circus. 
As  the  Bolivian  Congress  was  about  to  assemble,  I found  the 
principal  hotels  crowded.  So  strong  is  the  native  passion 
for  gambling,  that  even  at  the  best  hotel  in  the  city  the 
sport  was  going  on  at  both  ends  of  the  front  corridor.  It 
consisted  in  throwing  from  a distance  small  pieces  of  iron, 
something  like  qnoits,  into  the  top  of  a box,  where,  hitting 
different  objects,  they  would  drop  into  corresponding  holes, 
each  marked  with  figures  denoting  gain  or  loss.  These 
games  were  mostly  patronized  by  crowds  of  young  men  in 
silk  hats  and  black  frock-coats.  After  some  difficulty,  I 
succeeded  in  getting  fair  accommodation  at  the  “ Grand 
Hotel,”  kept  by  a Frenchman. 

I had  a good  dinner  of  dishes  and  wine  peculiar  to  the 
country,  and  then  sallied  forth  to  the  Grand  Plaza,  w7here, 
from  eight  to  nine  on  two  evenings  of  the  week,  three  mili- 
tary bands  in  turn  discoursed  waltz  and  other  lively  music 
in  a very  creditable  manner.  All  the  fashionable  world  was 
out,  it  being  “good  form”  to  promenade  around  the  square 
on  the  sidewalks  running  in  corridors  through  the  stores,  or 
to  sit  upon  the  brick-and-stucco  settees  placed  at  convenient 
distances  against  the  walls.  The  costume  of  the  ladies  and 
gentlemen  was  that  of  Paris,  save  that  usually  no  bonnets 
were  worn  by  the  ladies,  and  instead  thereof  the  well-known 
and  graceful  mantilla  received  great  favor.  The  conspirator 
style  of  cloak,  seen  to  perfection  in  the  ojpera-bouffe  “La 
Fille  de  Madame  Angot,”  was  also  out  in  force.  Of  course, 
all  the  gentlemen  smoked.  I strolled  about  the  square, 
greatly  relishing  the  scenes  and  sounds  of  life  and  gayety, 


88 


ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


the  Southern  Cross  burning  brightly  above  me,  the  Great 
Bear  almost  sunk  below  the  horizon.  The  Grand  Plaza  has 
the  conventional  fountain  and  garden,  and  is  paved  with 
small  round  stones  in  ornamental  patterns  of  black  and  white. 
The  fountain  is  surmounted  with  a stone  Neptune,  with  his 
trident,  and  six  stone  seals  spout  fresh  water  on  him  from 
the  corners.  On  the  eastern  side  of  the  plaza  is  the  Hall  of 
Deputies,  a not  imposing  building,  but  with  a lofty  tower 
having  a four-faced  clock.  Next  this  is  an  arcade,  with 
stores  below  and  residences  above.  The  northern  and  west- 
ern sides  are  lined  with  stores  and  cafes,  while  the  southern 
side  shows  the  fine,  three-storied  balconied  building  of  gov- 
ernment offices,  and  the  very  handsome  facade  of  what  was 
to  have  been  the  cathedral,  but  which,  for  want  of  money 
or  through  abundance  of  revolution,  or  both,  never  reached 
higher  than  the  first  story.  This  is  in  quite  a Grecian  order 
of  architecture,  and  the  stone  cutting  and  carving  are  in  a 
fine  style.  It  is  a great  pity  that  this  cathedral  could  not  be 
completed,  for  if  the  present  design  and  treatment  were  car- 
ried out  it  would  be  one  of  the  finest  buildings  in  South 
America.  On  concluding  the  open-air  concert  the  bands 
formed  in  company  front,  and,  playing  the  national  anthem, 
marched  off  in  dashing  style  to  their  respective  barracks, 
accompanied  by  a score  or  so  of  soldiers  who  had  been  hold- 
ing paper-lanterns  and  turning  the  music-sheets  for  the  per- 
formers. There  are  at  present  thirty-five  hundred  troops  in 
La  Paz,  this  constituting  the  greater  part  of  the  Bolivian 
army.  The  officers  in  gay  uniform,  of  a decidedly  French 
pattern,  are  seen  everywhere  in  the  streets,  restaurants,  and 
cafes . The  troops  also  are  frequently  encountered  marching 
about  the  city,  apparently  being  kept  in  constant  exercise 
and  thorough  discipline.  When  the  bands  left,  the  populace 
did  likewise,  and  ten  minutes  afterward  the  plaza  was  de- 
serted. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


LA  PAZ — THE  QUAINT. 

The  Spanish  words,  La  Paz,  signify  u peace,’5  and  as 
applied  to  the  Bolivian  capital  are  a ridiculous  misnomer ; 
for  revolutions  are  quite  as  frequent  in  this  as  in  the  neigh- 
boring Republic  of  Peru.  La  Paz  is  12,226  feet  above  the 
sea-level.  Potosi,  Bolivia,  is  a thousand  feet  higher,  and  a 
town  in  Peru,  Pasco,  nearly  two  thousand  feet  higher,  and 
the  most  elevated  in  South  America.  The  highest  inhabited 
place  in  the  world  is,  I believe,  in  Thibet,  at  an  altitude  of 
15,117  feet — almost  that  of  the  summit  of  Mont  Blanc,  the 
loftiest  mountain  in  Europe.  La  Paz  has  a population  of 
seventy-five  thousand.  An  extensive  view  of  the  city,  the 
valley  in  which  it  lies,  and  the  hills  and  mountains  by  which 
it  is  surrounded,  may  be  had  from  a bluff  a short  distance  to 
the  eastward.  The  morning  was  bright  and  cool,  and  the 
air  deliciously  fresh  and  limpid,  as  I walked  through  streets 
lined  with  the  dull  walls  of  mud  huts  to  the  extremity  of 
habitation,  whence  a stiff  climb  of  fifteen  minutes  took  me 
to  the  top  of  the  gravelly  bluff,  a sort  of  spur  jutting  out 
into  the  valley  and  commanding  a clear  prospect  in  every 
direction.  This  valley  I have  already  described  in  general 
terms,  but  now  I saw,  opening  into  it  on  the  south,  another 
valley  of  very  different  appearance,  for  it  was  irrigated  and 
carefully  cultivated.  At  the  time  of  the  founding  of  La 
Paz  it  was  at  first  intended  to  lay  it  out  in  this  altogether 
superior  situation,  but  some  pope  or  other,  being  appealed  to, 
and  knowing  nothing  concerning  the  topography  of  this  sec- 
tion of  Bolivia,  decided  upon  the  present  strange  site.  This 


90 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


is  very  unfortunate,  for  there  is  scarcely  an  entirely  level 
block  in  it,  nor  are  the  streets  in  general  laid  out  at  right 
angles.  Very  many  houses  are  three  stories  in  height  at  one 
end,  and  two,  or  even  one,  at  the  other.  The  city  is  inter- 
sected by  a small  river — though  with  a big  name,  Rio 
Grande — and  by  many  small  brooks,  all  crossed  by  stone 
bridges.  In  the  walls  protecting  .the  sides  of  the  bridges 
are  small  openings,  through  which  garbage  and  refuse  are 
thrown.  The  general  sewerage  of  the  city  was  formerly  in 
open  drains  in  the  center  of  the  streets,  but  these  have  since 
been  sunk  below  the  surface.  From  the  height  to  which  I 
had  climbed  there  is  a very  good  view  not  only  of  Illimani, 
but  also  of  the  rugged  sub-hills  whose  peculiar  form  and 
rich  coloring  would  be  the  delight  of  an  artist.  In  the  rainy 
season  such  torrents  fall  as  to  deeply  bare  and  furrow  their 
sides,  and  thus  disclose  various  ores  whose  tints  differ  won- 
derfully with  the  shifting  lights  and  shadows  of  the  changing 
sun.  From  La  Paz  runs  a good  stage-road  to  Oruro,  a city 
about  a hundred  and  fifty  miles  to  the  southeast.  The  other 
cities  of  the  interior,  such  as  Cochabamba,  Potosi,  and  Sucre, 
are  connected  at  present  only  by  mule-trails.  Over  the 
grand  mountain-range  lies  the  rich  district  of  Yungas,  plains 
watered  by  numerous  tributaries  of  the  great  Madeira  River, 
which  flows  in  a northeast  direction  and  empties  into  the 
Amazon.  On  the  eastern  slopes  of  Illimani  all  the  vegetable 
and  fruit  productions*  of  the  tropics  are  raised ; they  are 
taken  thence  to  the  market  of  La  Paz.  The  Bolivian  capi- 
tal covers  about  two  miles  of  ground  in  one  direction,  and  a 
mile  in  the  opposite.  It  is  built  mostly  of  mud  and  tiles, 
and  a large  proportion  of  the  houses  are  twTo  stories  in  height. 
The  streets  are  lighted  by  kerosene-lamps  placed  in  iron 
brackets  projecting  from  the  walls  of  the  houses,  as  at 
Quito.  Ro  sidewalks,  properly  so  called,  are  found,  each 
side  of  the  cobble-stone  pavement  having  only  a narrow 
flatnrinc?  on  the  same  level  as  the  street.  There  is  not  a 
chimney  in  La  Paz,  for,  though  in  winter  the  cold  is  fre- 
quently severe,  the  people  know  no  method  of  warming 


LA  PAZ- THE  QUAINT. 


91 


their  houses.  Fires  necessary  for  cooking  are  built  against 
a wall  quite  out-of-doors,  except  for  a flimsy  sort  of  roof. 
Wood  is  so  scarce  and  expensive  in  suck  a treeless  region, 
that  llama-dung  is  everywhere  used  for  fuel.  This  naturally 
gives  out  an  offensive  and  penetrating  odor  in  burning,  and 
the  neighborhood  of  the  kitchen  is  always  to  be  avoided  by 
the  stranger  in  search  of.  lodgings. 

The  Alameda  lies  at  the  extreme  southeastern  end  of  the 
city.  Here  are  four  parallel  rows  of  trees,  plants,  and  flow- 
ers, all  apparently  longing  for  water  and  a more  congenial 
soil.  Among  the  trees  I noticed  willows  and  eucalypti,  the 
peach  and  the  apple.  A great  variety  of  common  English 
flowers  spread  their  bloom.  There  are  three  lanes  for  prom- 
enaders  and  two  for  equestrians.  At  intervals  along  the  cen- 
ter are  small  railed  plots  with  stone  columns  as  bases,  for  the 
statues  of  famous  natives,  though  none  are  at  present  occu- 
pied, a satire  which  Bolivians  should  feel  privileged  to  resent. 
But,  if  the  pedestals  were  full,  a change  of  statues  might  pos- 
sibly ensue.  In  fact,  it  would  be  a good  plan  generally, 
throughout  South  America,  to  erect  all  statues  with  the  heads 
merely  screwed  on,  so  that  they  might  be  quickly  and  easily 
changed  with  changing  dictators.  In  one  place  is  a huge 
monolith  of  a hard,  dark  stone  not  found  anywhere  in  the 
neighborhood  of  La  Paz.  It  is  about  three  feet  square,  and 
is  fashioned  as  the  head  of  an  old  Inca,  with  a head-dress  of 
feathers  ornamented  with  flgures  of  monsters.  It  reminded 
me  at  once  of  the  statues  I had  seen  in  the  interior  of  Yuca- 
tan. In  the  center  of  the  middle  path  is  a really  splendid 
fountain  of  transparent  yellow  alabaster,  which  was  presented 
to  the  city  some  years  ago  by  a wealthy  citizen.  At  the 
extreme  end  of  the  Alameda  is  a great  summer-house,  the 
walls  of  which  are  painted  with  landscapes  vividly  recalling 
the  gardens  of  Versailles. 

The  streets  of  La  Paz,  although  not  crowded,  are  always 
bustling  with  people.  The  Grand  Plaza  is  the  general  meet- 
ing-ground for  the  upper  classes.  Here  they  promenade  up 
and  down,  or  stand  talking  in  groups  at  the  corners.  Officers 


92 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


dressed  in  brilliant  uniforms — enormous  gilt  epaulets  and 
sword,  a blue  coat,  and  red  trousers  with  a stripe  of  gold-lace 
two  inches  in  width — frequently  pass.  One  imagines,  from 
their  very  gaudy  appearance,  that  none  can  be  below  the 
rank  of  major-general.  As  a striking  contrast,  in  the  narrow 
streets  one  often  meets  troops  of  laden  llamas  or  donkeys, 
driven  by  muleteers  wearing  multi-colored  ponchos  and 
hempen  sandals.  But,  perhaps,  for  a general  viewT  of  all 
classes  of  the  populace,  there  is  no  better  place  to  visit  than 
the  market.  That  of  La  Paz  occupies  an  entire  square.  The 
building  is  simply  a series  of  roofed  galleries,  open  at  the 
sides,  and  running  at  right  angles  to  each  other.  The  stalls 
are  rented  by  the  month,  and  all  around  the  market,  sitting 
with  their  goods  displayed  before  them  on  the  street,  are 
those  venders,  who  pay  merely  nominal  sums  for  thus  carry- 
ing on  their  business.  Nearly  all  the  people  employed  in 
the  market  are  women.  A few  men  are  engaged  in  the  task 
of  cutting  up  the  huge  carcasses  of  various  animals.  Only 
one  species  of  fish  was  on  sale,  the  small  though  excellent 
product  of  Titicaca.  Many  ducks  are  to  be  had  from  the 
neighborhood  of  this  lake,  but  the  natives  have  no  method  of 
capturing  them,  and  such  as  one  finds  in  private  houses  are 
always  shot  by  foreign  sportsmen.  The  display  of  vegetables 
and  fruit  was  grand,  products  of  both  temperate  and  tropical 
zones  lying  side  by  side.  I might  give  a long  list  of  these, 
but  as  a greater  part  of*  them  are  quite  unknown,  at  least  by 
experience,  to  dwellers  in  northern  latitudes,  it  would  convey 
little  meaning ; and  to  give  a detailed  description  would 
belong  rather  to  a botanical  work  than  such  a book  as  the 
present.  Besides  the  vegetable  and  fruit  exhibit,  there  were 
all  sorts  of  native-made  and  native-worn  clothes,  from 
ponchos  and  broad-brim  hats  to  sandals  and  short  trousers. 
Hardware  and  earthen wTare  stalls  vied  with  each  other,  and 
great  tables  of  such  general  knickknacks  as  are  called  in 
North  America  “ Yankee  notions,”  displayed  bewildering 
miscellanies.  I observed  in  one  place  a great  heap  of  such 
horns,  herbs,  and  roots  as  are  used  by  the  native  medicine- 


LA  PA Z— THE  QUAINT. 


93 


men  in  their  cabalistic  practice.  Some  of  these  shrewd,  un- 
scrupulous fellows  obtain  a great  notoriety,  and  travel  from 
end  to  end  of  the  country.  There  were  also  to  be  seen 
immense  piles  of  dry-goods,  nearly  all  of  bright  colors,  the 
products  of  native  looms,  and  rolls  of  a coarse  strong  sort  of 
clotb  worn  by  the  poorer  classes.  In  addition,  women  mer- 
chants dealt  in  skins  of  all  kinds,  the  beatiful  soft  vicuna 
skins  always  especially  attracting  my  attention.  Stalls 
teemed  with  a variety  of  beautiful  flowers,  huge  bunches  of 
them  at  merely  nominal  prices.  Women  selling  flowers  may 
also  be  frequently  seen  at  odd  corners  of  the  city.  The  for- 
eigners contract  with  them  for  so  many  bouquets  per  week, 
and  thus  you  see  parlor-tables  always  adorned  with  a luxu- 
rious profusion,  prominent  among  them  being  that  beautiful 
flower  called  the  “ Inca’s  favorite,”  a sort  of  crimson  bell- 
sbaped  blossom,  similar  to  our  morning-glory,  though  more 
slender.  Sunday  is  the  especially  great  market-day,  and  then 
the  variety  and  quantity  of  produce  and  goods  are  about 
doubled.  The  living  at  the  best  hotels  in  La  Paz  is  good 
and  cheap.  The  cooking  inclines  to  the  French  style.  The 
lodging-rooms  are  perhaps  not  all  that  could  be  desired,  but 
the  board  is  very  satisfactory.  The  equivalent  in  United 
States  money  of  the  Bolivian  currency  which  I had  to  pay 
was  only  one  dollar  and  thirty -five  cents  per  day.  A good  club 
graces  the  capital,  with  all  customary  conveniences  such  as 
parlors,  billiard,  card,  wine,  and  diningrooms,  where  most  of 
the  foreigners  board,  though  lodging  elsewhere. 

While  in  La  Paz  I had  the  pleasure  of  making  the  ac- 
quaintance of  Senor  Manuel  Yicente  Ballivian,  a worthy 
representative  of  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  distinguished 
families  of  Bolivia.  Two  presidents  and  a field-marshal  have 
already  been  chosen  from  this  family,  while  the  father  of  my 
friend  was  the  author  of  a very  valuable  collection  of  docu- 
ments, entitled  “ Bolivian  Archives,”  and  a brother  is  Presi- 
dent of  the  National  Bank.  A handsome  street  in  the  center 
of  the  city  is  styled  the  66  Calle  de  Ballivian.”  On  visiting 
Senor  Ballivian’s  house,  I was  very  much  surprised  to  find 


94 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


in  his  fine  library  a catalogue,  printed  in  Chili,  of  thirty-five 
hundred  titles  of  books  and  pamphlets  in  all  languages  ex- 
clusively devoted  to  Bolivia.  I had  hardly  supposed  there 
were  so  many  upon  all  South  America.  And  Bolivia  is  a 
country  of  which  great  parts  are  still  imperfectly  known,  and 
of  much  of  which  accurate  surveys  have  never  been  made. 

Senor  Ballivian  kindly  accompanied  me  one  evening  to 
the  theatre,  an  unimposing  structure,  both  inside  and  out, 
though  comfortable,  and  perhaps  well  enough  adapted  to  the 
needs  of  a city  where,  singularly  enough,  the  drama  is  not 
very  popular.  Location  is  selected  Nfrom  a large  board  dia- 
gram, which  is  hung  conspicuously  in  the  ticket-office.  You 
observe  and  mention  the  number  of  the  seat  desired,  and  a 
programme,  rolled  in  the  form  of  a pin,  is  removed  from  this 
number  in  the  diagram  and  handed  to  you.  I found  the 
theatre  contained  a parquette  and  three  tiers  of  small  boxes. 
The  orchestra  numbered  but  eight,  the  leader  adding  the  oc- 
casional manipulation  of  a piano  to  the  conventional  duty  of 
conducting.  The  auditorium  was  lighted  by  kerosene-lamps, 
a row  of  which,  with  chimneys  a foot  and  a half  high,  and 
backed  by  a standing  board  to  protect  from  excessive  draught, 
served  as  foot-lights.  The  draught-preventer  would  have  been 
more  acceptable  had  it  not  rendered  invisible  the  lower  third 
of  the  performers.  The  theatre  would  seat  about  fifteen 
hundred  people.  The  scenery  and  costumes  were  good. 
The  music,  however,  was  for  the  most  part  very  bad,  and  it 
was  the  comic  opera  of  “ Barba  Azul,”  Offenbach’s  “ Blue- 
beard,” that  was  attempted.  Between  the  second  and  third 
acts  the  leader  of  the  orchestra  gave,  upon  the  violin,  on  the 
stage,  a melange  of  airs  from  “ Traviata,”  and  in  a very  ordi- 
nary fashion,  but  he  was  much  applauded  by  the  audience. 
When  this  virtuoso  was  about  half-way  through,  two  natives 
went  upon  the  stage  to  present  him  with  some  wreaths. 
They  stood  before  him  until  they  finally  perceived  that  he 
neither  proposed  to  stop  in  order  to  be  decorated,  nor  would 
have  been  able  to  continue  had  he  taken  the  wreaths  in  his 
hands.  This  spectacle  “ brought  down  ” the  house.  The 


LA  PAZ— TEE  QUAINT. 


95 


two  lower  tiers  of  boxes  contained  many  ladies  in  gay 
dresses,  without  hats,  bare-armed,  but  not  bare-necked.  The 
gentlemen  accompanying  them  were  not  in  evening  dress, 
but  in  long  frock-coats  and  black  kid  gloves.  The  upper  tier 
of  boxes  corresponded  to  our  gallery,  and  was  packed  with  a 
similar  element,  with  their  hats  on.  The  scale  of  prices  was  : 
Boxes  on  the  first  tier,  seven  dollars  and  seventy-five  cents ; 
those  on  the  second  tier,  four  dollars  and  a half ; the  orches- 
tra stalls,  one  dollar ; general  admission,  sixty-five  cents ; and 
“ paradise,”  thirty  cents.  The  opera  company  came  origi- 
nally from  Chili,  and  had  been  in  La  Paz  two  years.  During 
nearly  half  the  year,  from  two  to  four  performances  a week 
are  given.  The  matinee  is  as  yet  an  unknown  institution. 
I might  say,  in  brief,  of  the  performance  which  I witnessed, 
that  there  was  but  one  good  artist  in  the  entire  company,  and 
that  was  the  prima  donna,  who  was  very  droll,  and  with  her 
grimaces,  ogling,  and  sprightliness,  constantly  recalled  the 
delightful  Aimee  of  many  melodious  nights  in  Paris  and 
New  York.  The  opera  did  not  conclude  until  one  in  the 
morning.  Between  the  acts  there  was,  as  with  us,  some 
visiting  in  the  boxes,  but  most  of  the  gentlemen  retired  to 
the  wine-room  to  drink  small  glasses  of  strong  spirits  and 
smoke  mild  cigarettes. 

La  Paz  is  well  supplied  with  newspapers,  there  being 
eight  sold  in  the  capital,  though  not  one  of  these  is  a daily. 
One  of  them,  however,  appears  five  days  in  the  week,  or 
every  day  excepting  Sunday  and  Monday.  The  others  leave 
the  press  spasmodically — once,  twice,  or  three  times  a week, 
or  even  bimonthly.  Nor  is  there  any  regular  hour  of  the 
day  for  publication,  even  with  the  ones  which  I have  par- 
ticularized. These  newspapers  are  all  organs  of  some  party 
or  other,  as  the  Conservative,  the  Liberal,  the  Church,  or  the 
Masonic.  They  are  printed  with  fine,  clear  type,  on  good 
paper,  and  are  in  every  respect  like  the  average  French  jour- 
nal, containing  brief  telegrams  from  all  over  the  world,  pomp- 
ous editorials,  local  gossip,  and  a feuilleton,  or  serial  novelette, 
served  in  brief  installments.  Supplements,  of  a single  narrow 


96 


AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


column,  are  occasionally  annexed.  The  price  of  these  news- 
papers is  very  high,  a single  copy  sometimes  costing  twenty 
cents.  One  generally  subscribes  for  them  by  the  year.  There 
is  no  sale  in  the  streets  by  boys,  nor  can  you  find  the  papers 
at  the  book-stores  or  stationers.  You  must  go  or  send  direct 
to  the  printing-office.  From  here  they  are  delivered  to  regu- 
lar subscribers  by  carriers ; you  never  receive  them  through 
the  post-office. 

There  is  only  one  chartered  bank  in  Bolivia — the  Banco 
Nacional,  or  National  Bank,  with  branches  in  the  cities  of 
Cochabamba  and  Potosi.  The  banking-house  in  La  Paz  is  a 
fine  structure,  of  cut  brown-stone  below  and  brick  and  stucco 
above,  situated  on  a corner  near  the  Grand  Plaza.  The 
notes  of  the  National  Bank,  at  the  time  of  my  visit,  were 
worth  but  sixty -five  cents  on  the  dollar,  as  the  country  was 
still  suffering  from  the  effects  of  the  war  with  Chili.  This 
bank  pays  four  per  cent  on  deposits  of  over  six  months’ 
time,  and  two  per  cent  on  open  accounts.  A great  part  of 
the  business  or  commerce  of  this  country  is  done  through 
foreign  houses.  The  imports,  with  few  exceptions,  are  by 
Germans.  I believe  that  there  are  in  Bolivia  no  English  or 
American  firms  engaged  in  foreign  trade,  by  either  export  or 
import.  American  newspapers  have  had  very  much  to  say 
about  the  South  American  trade  and  our  small  share  of  it ; 
but,  so  long  as  our  merchants  sit  quietly  at  home  and  wait  for 
the  business  to  go  to  them,  there  will  be  no  commerce  with 
these  countries.  It  is  very  different  with  the  Germans,  who 
go  there  either  taking  much  capital  or  being  supplied  with  it 
by  large  houses  in  Europe.  Well  conversant,  generally,  with 
the  English  and  Spanish  languages,  they  go  to  work,  locate 
themselves  fairly  in  the  country,  and  in  a few  years  build  up 
a large  trade.  The  Bolivians  and  other  South  Americans  do 
not  send  to  the  United  States  for  merchandise,  which  might 
there  be  obtained  superior  to  that  which  is  got  as  cheaply 
elsewhere,  for  the  South  Americans  are  bound  by  many  in- 
terests to  send  to  Europe  for  their  goods,  for  which,  as  a 
matter  of  course,  they  pay  in  products  of  the  country.  The 


LA  PLAZ—THE  QUAINT. 


97 


principal  export  of  Bolivia  is  silver,  on  whicli  the  Govern- 
ment collects  a revenue  of  ten  cents  per  ounce.  The  present 
product  of  the  silver-mines  of  the  country  is  twenty  million 
ounces.  The  famous  mines  of  Potosi,  after  being  worked  for 
two  hundred  and  fifty  years,  are  still  fertile.  The  Huanchaca 
mines,  in  a southwesterly  direction  from  Potosi,  are  now  the 
most  productive,  and  recent  discoveries  there  show  enormous 
riches. 


V 


CHAPTER  XII. 


VOYAGING  TO  VALPARAISO. 

I drove  one  morning  down  the  valley,  about  three  miles, 
to  a small  village  which  is  a sort  of  summer  resort  for  the 
citizens  of  La  Paz.  The  road  was  very  steep  and  rough. 
There  were  but  two  or  three  carriages  in  the  capital,  and  my 
vehicle  seemed  to  frighten  all  the  animals  I passed.  One 
scared  mule  was  knocked  down  and  run  over.  At  times  the 
road  passed  between  long  lines  of  rose-bushes,  strawberry- 
beds,  pear-trees  in  blossom,  weeping- willows,  and  parched- 
looking  eucalypti.  Again,  it  was  bordered  only  by  plain 
stone  walls,  topped  with  living  cacti,  which  the  poacher, 
having  once  grasped,  would  probably  very  suddenly  relin- 
quish. As  I went  on,  vegetation  seemed  more  profuse. 
Several  neat  farm-houses,  commanding  splendid  views  of  the 
sublime  Illimani,  dotted  the  valley  here  and  there.  The 
formation  of  the  clayey  hills  reminded  me  strongly  of  those 
in  Colorado,  whose  slopes  the  weather  has  worn  into  fantastic 
arches,  pillars,  and  pyramids.  The  Bolivian  mountains  are 
so  acute,  both  ridge  and  pinnacle,  that  frequently  the  daring 
climber  is  stopped,  and  has  to  retrace  his  steps,  or  extend 
them  for  miles  in  circuitous  progress.  I crossed  an  old 
Spanish  bridge  over  the  almost  dry  bed  of  what  must  be  at 
times  a tierce  torrent.  The  topography  everywhere  spoke 
of  very  violent  rains,  and  here,  as  in  Ecuador,  it  is  next  to 
impossible  to  travel  during  the  rainy  season.  In  the  village, 
which  I soon  reached,  there  is  a little  park  full  of  trees  and 
flowers.  Here  also  one  sees  two  bronze  busts  of  those  mem- 
bers of  the  Ballivian  family  who  in  turn  occupied  the  presi7 


VOYAGING  TO  VALPARAISO. 


99 


dential  chair.  Above  each  statue  is  a curious  little  iron  roof, 
placed  as  a protection  against  the  weather.  The  road  extends 
but  a short  distance  beyond  this  park,  being  succeeded  by 
that  national  highway  of  Bolivia,  and  all  the  other  countries 
of  South  America,  the  mule-trail. 

It  was  on  the  third  day  of  the  Indian  carnival  that  I 
visited  a plaza  in  the  northern  part  of  the  city,  where  was  an 
inn  in  which  the  headquarters  of  the  fiesta  were  temporarily 
located.  The  npper  corridor  of  the  inn  was  crowded  with 
people  looking  at  the  extraordinary  antics  of  others  in  the 
court-yard  below.  These  were  dressed  in  very  gay  colors, 
and  many  of  them  were  in  grotesque  costumes,  with  masks 
representing  the  heads  of  animals.  Some  wore  enormous 
circular  head-dresses  of  ostrich-feathers,  others  had  their  faces 
painted  like  those  of  circus  clowns.  No  matter  how  much 
civilized  finery  the  women  had  on,  their  feet  were  pretty 
sure  in  every  instance  to  be  bare,  while  those  of  the  men 
were  shod  with  thin  leather  sandals.  There  was  much  music 
of  drums,  guitars,  and  bamboo  flutes.  There  was  also  much 
dancing  and  guttural  singing,  a crowd  always  forming  around 
especially  able  performers.  The  native  music  was  plaintive 
and  wild ; the  dances  consisted  mostly  of  posturing,  varied 
by  brief  but  lively  jigs.  But  all,  men  and  women  alike,  were 
more  under  the  influence  of  liquor  than  of  enthusiasm.  Fre- 
quently they  were  so  intoxicated  that  their  friends  had  to 
carry  them,  and  occasionally,  in  a secluded  corner,  was  a man 
stretched  out  “ dead  ” drunk.  Such  cases,  however,  attracted 
no  attention  from  the  others,  who  conducted  themselves  in 
the  most  whimsical  manner.  Many  drunken  women  spun 
round  and  round,  and  waved  their  hands  above  their  heads, 
their  heavy  skirts  standing  out  like  those  of  the  whirling 
dervishes  of  Cairo.  In  the  plaza  were  scores  of  women 
selling  fruits  and  native  drinks.  The  liquors  were  contained 
in  large  pitchers  (with  rows  of  huge  tumblers  before  them), 
filled  with  a native  brewed  beer,  made  of  pineapple-rinds 
and  molasses.  Here  also  were  many  gambling-tables,  where 
counters  were  placed  upon  certain  pictures  or  numbers,  and 


100  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


dice  shaken  in  huge  tin  cans  told  the  good  or  had  luck  of 
the  players,  as  well  as  the  amounts  lost  or  won.  All  of  the 
tables  were  surrounded  by  crowds  of  eager  gamblers  and 
spectators.  All  was  fun  and  gayety.  These  Indians  never 
fight  when  in  their  cups,  as  do  the  members  of  most  nation- 
alities. Women  could  be  seen  dancing  by  themselves,  others 
walking  hand  in  hand,  or  affectionately  embracing  each  other, 
but  all  most  blissfully  drunk.  The  musicians  and  dancers 
would  form  in  procession  and  march  about  the  square,  halt- 
ing frequently  for  one  of  their  extraordinary  dances,  and 
then  march  on  again.  The  throngs  of  natives  moving  in 
every  direction,  with  garments  of  every  bright  hue,  backed 
by  the  brown  or  white  of  the  mud  houses,  made  a very  pict- 
uresque scene. 

Another  day  I witnessed  one  of  the  closing  acts  of  the 
fiesta.  It  was  near  the  gate  of  the  Alameda,  and  the  dra- 
matis personae  were  drunken  men,  the  audience  consisting 
of  a great  circle  of  approving  yet  equally  as  drunken  women. 
Some  of  the  mien  were  dressed  in  fine  skins  of  the  vicuna 
and  leopard,  with  caps  full  of  vari -colored  feathers;  others 
wore  a sort  of  cloth  coat,  with  ludicrous  masks,  human  and 
animal ; and  still  others  wore  white  shirts  and  gaudily  orna- 
mented hats.  All  played  upon  drums,  or  bamboo  flutes,  or 
reed  harmonicas.  Promiscuous  circular  dances  and  the  pas 
sent  were  in  lively  progress,  and  occasionally  drunken  women 
would  break  in  upon  the  men,  and  pirouette  together,  for- 
ward and  back,  arm  over  arm,  around  and  around,  with  an 
occasional  fall  and  recovery,  which  disconcerted  no  one.  The 
faces  of  those  who  did  not  wear  masks  looked  either  stolid  or 
silly.  You  were  reminded  of  a lot  of  children  at  play,  with- 
out aim  or  plan.  Some  pathetic  scenes  occurred.  One  young 
woman  was  fearfully  drunk.  Her  mother  on  one  side,  her 
little  daughter  on  the  other,  tried  to  keep  her  on  her  feet. 
And  to  the  back  of  the  daughter,  herself  a mere  tot  scarcely 
three  feet  in  height,  was  strapped  a tiny  baby.  Their  friends 
either  looked  on  and  laughed,  or  else  did  not  think  the  situa- 
tion of  sufficient  moment  for  even  a passing  notice.  It  was 


VOYAGING  TO  VALPARAISO. 


101 


to  me,  however,  a distressing  sight.  These  poor  people 
elicited  my  greatest  sympathy  and  interest,  the  more  so  since 
the  general  sentiment  of  the  La  Paz  citizen  seems  to  be  that 
Indians  are  not  capable  of  any  cultivation,  and,  even  if  they 
were,  are  hardly  worth  the  trouble.  There  are  said  to  be 
half  a million  Aymaras  in  Bolivia  and  southern  Peru.  They 
are  a pastoral  people,  almost  entirely  vegetarian  in  diet,  and 
though  generally  grave  and  impassive,  are  never  sullen  or 
ill-natured,  while,  as  we  have  seen,  when  warmed  with  beer 
or  spirits,  on  the  occasion  of  the  church  festivals,  they  are 
exceedingly  animated,  not  to  say  hilarious. 

At  the  hotel  in  La  Paz  I was  glad  to  make  the  acquaint- 
ance of  the  well-known  naturalist,  Dr.  H.  II.  Busby,  of  Hew 
York,  who  was  at  the  time  journeying  along  the  Pacific  coast 
with  the  special  object  of  investigating  its  medical  botany. 
He  afterward  daringly  made  his  way  across  the  continent  to 
Para,  crossing  the  Andes  by  mule,  floating  on  rafts,  down  the 
Beni  and  Madeira  Bivers,  to  the  mighty  Amazon,  undergoing 
terrible  privations  and  hardships,  but  forming  great  collections 
in  both  the  flora  and  fauna  of  Bolivia  and  Brazil,  and  making 
some  very  valuable  additions  to  the  American  pharmacopoeia. 

I was  one  week  in  accomplishing  the  return  journey  from 
La  Paz  to  Mollendo,  and  fortunately  arrived  just  in  time  to 
take  a steamer  for  Valparaiso,  next  to  San  Francisco  the  lead- 
ing port  on  the  Pacific  coast  of  America.  Before  going  on 
board  I was  obliged  to  obtain  another  passport — price  one  dol- 
lar— this  being  the  fifth  I had  bad  to  secure  in  Peru.  My 
steamer  was  the  Maipo,  of  the  South  American  Steamship 
Company,  or  the  Chilian  line,  as  it  is  familiarly  called  here, 
in  contradistinction  from  the  English  line,  or  the  Pacific 
Steam  Havigation  Company.  The  Maipo  I found  to  be 
a splendidly  appointed  vessel  in  every  particular.  The  cabins 
were  extremely  large,  and  the  saloon,  with  its  stained  glass, 
inlaid  wood-work,  and  display  of  cut-glass  and  silver,  lighted 
above  by  a great  octagonal  sky-light,  was  as  fine  an  apartment 
as  I have  ever  seen  on  any  steamer.  The  captain  and  officers 
were  mostly  Europeans. 


102  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

Our  first  stop  was  at  Arica,  formerly  belonging  to  Peru, 
but  taken  from  her  by  Chili  in  the  late  war.  It  was  once 
a town  of  some  importance,  but  is  now  an  uninteresting 
place,  of  a few  thousand  inhabitants.  The  roadstead  is 
flanked  on  the  south  by  a giant  bluff,  on  whose  summit  ap- 
pear several  great  cannon.  Away  to  the  north,  high  on  the 
beach,  may  be  seen  the  remains  of  the  ill-fated  United  States 
steamship  Wateree,  wdiich  was  torn  (in  1868)  from  its 
moorings  by  a great  tidal  wave  and  borne  a quarter  of  a mile 
into  the  interior.  About  all  that  is  now  left  of  her  is  some 
machinery.  Hear  the  landing-place  of  Arica  a train  of  cars 
was  just  starting  for  the  town  of  Tacna,  about  forty  miles 
distant  to  the  northward,  and  lying  in  a very  fertile  valley. 
In  an  imposing  position,  reached  by  a massive  stone  terrace, 
stands  a church  made  altogether  of  iron  and  brought  from 
the  United  States.  There  is  also  the  customary  grand  square, 
with  its  little  central  garden  struggling  for  its  life,  and  un- 
able to  get  the  water  necessary  for  that  purpose.  The  next 
port  at  which  we  called  was  Pisagua,  a town  of  wooden  shan- 
ties that  lies  upon  such  a steep  range  of  hills  that  it  looks  as 
if  a slight  shock  of  earthquake  would  send  it  toppling  into 
the  sea.  Here  I found  about  a dozen  ships  awaiting  freight. 
Upon  a conical  hillock,  near  the  center  of  the  town,  has  been 
reared  a plain  stone  shaft  in  memory  of  the  dead  of  both 
sides  who  fell  in  the  late  Peru-Chili  War.  It  is  a very  con- 
spicuous mark,  and  may  be  seen  for  a long  distance  at  sea. 
The  same  day  we  arrived  at  Iquique,  one  of  the  most  busi- 
ness-like ports  on  the  west  coast.  It  is  a town  of  very  ir- 
regular appearance.  It  lies  upon  an  extensive  plain  at  a level 
with  the  sea,  and  contains  one-story  mud  and  bamboo  houses. 
In  the  roadstead  was  a score  of  ships  of  all  nationalities,  load- 
ing saltpeter.  One  war- vessel  was  a British  corvette.  Go- 
ing on  shore,  I was  surprised  at  the  foreign  aspect  of  the 
town — broad  macadamized  streets,  with  wide  sidewalks,  and 
shop-signs  in  English  quite  as  frequently  as  in  Spanish.  Be- 
sides the  English  element,  there  seemed  to  be  large  contin- 
gents of  French  and  Germans.  In  the  Grand  Plaza  there  is 


VOYAGING  TO  VALPARAISO. 


103 


a lofty  wood  and  iron  clock-tower,  through  the  open  sides  of 
which  appears  the  marble  bust  of  one  of  tbe  many  Chilian 
heroes.  Iquique  is  a thriving  place,  being  the  shipping  port 
of  great  saltpeter-mines  in  the  interior,  with  which  a railway 
connects.  The  city  is  clean  and  lighted  by  gas,  and,  though 
artistically  grotesque,  it  is  pleasing  by  way  of  contrast  to 
other  cities  to  the  northward.  It  has  been  several  times  de- 
stroyed by  tire  and  ravaged  by  earthquakes.  This  may  ac- 
count for  the  fact  that  it  is  made  almost  entirely  of  pine 
boards  and  galvanized  iron  plates,  and  appears  as  if  only  built 
yesterday  and  for  a brief  period  at  that,  inasmuch  as  tires  or 
earthquakes  might  be  momentarily  expected.  I can  not  but 
liken  it  to  San  Francisco  in  the  early  days  of  the  gold  fever 
of  which  all  have  read  descriptions.  Our  next  stopping-place 
was  Tocopilla,  where  are  several  large  copper-smelting  works, 
valuable  copper-mines  existing  in  the  interior.  We  then 
went  to  Cobija,  formerly  the  only  seaport  of  Bolivia,  but 
now  belonging  of  course  to  Chili.  Having  passed  the  Tropic 
of  Capricorn,  we  stopped  at  Autofagasta.  Here  I found 
extensive  silver  and  copper  smelting  works  and  a large  niter- 
factory.  We  took  from  here,  as  freight,  a great  quantity  of 
large  silver  bars.  Early  the  following  morning  we  anchored 
in  the  hne  roadstead  of  Caldera,  a small  town  with  a few 
smelting-works.  A railway  runs  inland,  about  fifty  miles,  to 
the  town  of  Copiapo.  This  railway  dates  from  the  year 
1850,  and  was  the  first  constructed  in  South  America. 
Twenty-four  hours  from  Caldera  we  reached  Coquimbo  and 
saw  the  first  signs  of  vegetation,  the  first  green  hills  on  the 
coast,  since  leaving  Guayaquil. 

After  a voyage  of  a week,  including  the  above  frequent 
though  brief  halts,  early  one  morning  Valparaiso  was  sighted, 
and  as  the  steamer  drew  in  toward  the  roadstead,  or  semicir- 
cular harbor,  I was  strongly  reminded  of  the  appearance  of 
the  “ Golden  Gate  ” of  San  Francisco,  save  that  in  California 
the  hills  are  brown  and  barren,  while  here  they  are  covered 
with  grass  and  various  grains.  The  bright,  living  green  was 
a very  welcome  sight  after  so  much  desolation  and  death  as 


104  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 

all  thev  northward  coast  presents.  The  aspect  of  Valparaiso 
from  the  sea  is  very  remarkable.  One  would  think  a more 
inconvenient  site  was  nowhere  to  be  found.  Rome  was  built, 
so  the  historians  tell  us,  upon  seven  hills,  but  Valparaiso  is 
built  upon  twenty,  and  so  steep  are  most  of  them  that  stair- 
cases are  necessary  to  get  from  one  part  to  another,  and  in 
one  instance  even  a vertical  railway  has  to  be  employed. 
The  harbor  of  Valparaiso  is  of  a horseshoe  shape,  open  to 
the  north,  but  well  protected  on  the  southwest.  It  is  unfor- 
tunate that  it  should  be  so  exposed  on  the  north,  for  occa- 
sionally northerly  gales  are  so  heavy  that  the  vessels  have  to 
slip  their  cables  and  put  out  to  sea.  The  entire  harbor  is 
filled  with  sail  and  steam  craft  of  every  description  as  we 
enter  and  anchor  in  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  of  water.  We 
had  just  passed,  on  the  southern  headland,  two  small  open 
batteries,  and  could  see  another  on  the  northerly  point. 
Then  to  the  eastward,  and  near  the  level  of  the  water,  there 
loomed  several  more.  The  appearance  of  Valparaiso  may 
perhaps  be  likened  to  a vast  amphitheatre,  in  which  the 
ridges  of  the  hills  may  be  regarded  as  aisles.  Its  sloping  po- 
sition reminds  one  of  IIong-Kong.  Its  spurs,  terminating 
in  bluffs  at  the  water’s  edge,  recall  Quebec.  Owing  to  the 
presence  of  these  spurs,  the  city  is  of  course  very  irregularly 
built.  In  one  place  there  are  but  two  streets  between  a rocky 
bluff  and  the  harbor,  while  in  another  there  are  ten.  The 
greater  part  of  the  city  is  built  upon  a gently  sloping  plain, 
and  the  streets  are  laid  out  with  square  or  oblong  blocks. 
Adjoining  the  harbor  is  a very  broad  highway,  upon  which 
is  situated  a splendid  row  of  business  houses,  built  of  brick, 
and  three  or  four  stories  in  height.  At  one  extremity  of 
this  are  the  custom  warehouses,  forming  an  imposing  pile. 
The  most  prominent  objects  seen  from  the  deck  of  a steamer 
at  anchor  in  the  harbor  are  these  custom  warehouses,  a ceme- 
tery, the  clock-tower  of  the  Municipal  Palace,  and  an  enor- 
mous brewery,  painted  a flaring  white,  far  off  upon  one  of 
the  hills. 

As  I walked  past  the  elegant  bronze  statue  of  Lord  Cocli- 


VOYAGING  TO  VALPARAISO. 


105 


rane — the  Englishman  who  commanded  the  fleet  of  Chili 
from  1818  to  1822 — with  the  post-office  and  the  fire-engine 
house  to  the  left,  and  the  Municipal  Palace  before  me, 
and  turned  down  a street  to  the  right  to  the  “ Gran  Hotel 
Central,”  with  its  long  flight  of  marble  steps,  I was  struck 
by  the  very  civilized  look  of  the  famous  Chilian  seaport. 
Indeed,  it  quite  resembled  a small  French  or  German  city. 
The  people  who  were  rushing  about  in  the  eagerness  of  busi- 
ness activity  did  not  seem  to  be  Chilians,  but  Germans, 
French,  English,  Americans.  And  when  I came  to  enter 
some  of  the  great  foreign  mercantile  houses,  extending  from 
street  to  street,  and  fitted  with  perfect  modern  appointments ; 
and  when,  at  night,  I walked  through  the  long  streets  where 
most  of  the  retail  business  is  done,  with  brilliantly  lighted 
shops  filled  with  a variety  of  goods  from  every  country — I 
could  hardly  believe  myself  in  the  southern  hemisphere.  It 
was  only  the  sight  of  an  occasional  mantilla,  or  a peculiar 
cut  of  the  beard,  or  perhaps  a solitary  poncho-clad  figure 
urging  his  horse  swiftly  along,  that  dispelled  my  illusion. 
In  the  dining-room  of  the  hotel  the  electric  light  was  used, 
as  well  as  in  very  many  of  the  stores.  In  the  streets  is  a 
“Belgian”  pavement,  and  the  sidewalks  are  smoothly  and 
neatly  flagged.  The  architecture  of  some  of  the  buildings  is 
very  fine,  and  there  are  several  rich  and  elegant  churches. 
The  principal  streets  are  threaded  by  tramways.  The  trams, 
or  cars,  are  of  two  stories,  as  in  Paris  and  some  other  Euro- 
pean cities.  But  a Valparaiso  conductor  is  not  paralleled  in 
any  other  city  anywhere — for  it  is  a woman.  She  is  provided 
with  a board-seat  upon  the  rear  platform,  and  performs,  and 
very  well,  too,  all  the  customary  functions  of  the  male  con- 
ductor, save  that  of  the  caution  to  “move  up,  please,”  for 
here  no  more  passengers  are  admitted  than  there  are  seats 
for.  These  female  conductors  wear  a uniform  blue  dress 
with  a white  apron  and  a man’s  felt  hat,  and  carry  a leather 
change-bag.  The  fare  is  five  cents  for  inside  and  two  cents 
and  a half  for  outside  passengers. 

At  the  time  of  my  visit  to  Chili  a small  steamer  sailed 


106  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  ROUTE  AMERICA. 

for  the  famous  island  of  Jnan  Fernandez,  or  Robinson  Cru- 
soe’s Island,  wbicb  belongs  to  that  country,  and  is  situated 
in  the  Pacific  Ocean  about  four  hundred  miles  nearly  due 
west  from  Valparaiso.  It  has  a few  Chilian  inhabitants,  and 
is  the  seat  of  a small  German  colony.  The  newspapers  of 
the  city  announced,  with  many  flourishes,  that  a pleasure 
excursion  was  about  to  be  made  to  Juan  Fernandez,  and  that 
it  would  last  six  days,  half  of  which  time  would  be  spent 
upon  the  island.  The  fare  was  placed  at  sixty  dollars  for 
first-class  and  thirty  dollars  for  second-class  passengers.  The 
various  attractions  promised  were  the  shooting  of  seals,  fish- 
ing for  cod,  driving  and  shooting  goats,  lobster-fishing,  and 
last,  and  evidently  least,  visits  to  all  the  places  of  interest  on 
the  island.  These  included  Robinson  Crusoe’s  lookout, 
three  thousand  feet  above  the  ocean,  with  a commemorative 
bronze  tablet  set  in  the  side  of  the  hill  by  the  officers  of  the 
Challenger  Expedition ; Crusoe’s  cave ; and  the  beach  where 
he  was  supposed  to  have  been  wrecked,  or  rather  to  have 
gone  on  shore  by  the  memorable  raft.  The  island  is  eighteen 
miles  long  and  six  broad ; it  is  for  the  most  part  rocky  and 
barren.  I was  told  that  these  excursions,  a few  of  which 
occur  every  year,  are  quite  popular,  and  that  the  steamers 
usually  have  a great  crowd  of  passengers. 


Crusoe's  Lookout  ( ivith  Commemorative  Tablet). 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


THE  CAPITAL  OF  CHILI. 

One  of  the  oldest  railways  in  South  America  takes  you 
in  five  hours  from  the  great  seaport  of  Chili  to  Santiago,  its 
capital.  The  road  is  owned  by  the  Government,  but  was 
built  by  English  contractors,  as  one  might  know  by  the  odd- 
shaped locomotives  and  the  little  four-wheeled  carriages. 
Eor  more  than  half  its  distance  the  road  extends  in  a north- 
easterly direction,  and  then  turns  abruptly  and  runs  almost 
directly  south  to  the  city  of  Santiago.  There  are  only  two 
towns  of  any  special  size  or  importance  on  the  entire  road — 
Quillota  and  Santa  Felipe.  On  leaving  the  station  we  skirt 
the  bay  for  several  miles,  until  we  reach  a little  town  called 
Yino  del  Mar,  wdiere  dwell  many  of  the  rich  merchants  of 
the  seaport  city.  Here  are  graceful  little  cottages  imbedded 
in  beautiful  gardens  of  fruits  and  flowers,  a large  hotel,  and 
pleasant  walks  and  drives.  Hear  by  is  an  enormous  sugar- 
factory.  Going  on,  the  country  for  many  miles  is  undulating, 
the  hills  on  both  sides  being  covered  with  scrub,  and  the  val- 
leys filled  with  barley  and  clover  fields,  orchards,  and  vine- 
yards. The  land  is  generally  owned  in  immense  estates,  and 
irrigation  has  to  be  employed  in  nearly  all  districts  along  the 
coast.  In  the  interior  the  climate  is  more  equable,  and  the 
soil  is  remarkably  fertile  and  especially  well  adapted  to 
European  produce.  There  is  a large  wheat  crop,  notwith- 
standing a generally  rude  method  of  cultivation.  The  Chilian 
farmer  plows  with  a sharp-pointed  piece  of  wood,  sometimes 
shod  with  iron,  and  knowTs  no  harrow  but  a bundle'of  brush. 
Reaping  is  done  by  hand,  and  thrashing  by  the  old-fashioned 


108  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


way  of  driving  horses  over  the  grain.  At  the  time  of  my 
visit  the  barley  and  pastures  presented  the  most  beautiful 
emerald  tints  I have  ever  seen,  while  the  orchards  were  filled 
with  red,  pink,  white,  and  greenish- white  blossoms,  that  re- 
sembled flower-gardens  on  an  enormous  scale.  The  engineer- 
ing problems  of  the  road  did  not  appear  to  be  very  great,  at 
least  not  as  compared  with  those  so  frequently  encountered 
in  Peru.  There  were  no  excessively  steep  grades — though 
the  rise  from  the  sea  to  Santiago  is  about  eighteen  hundred 
feet — and  but  a few  short  tunnels.  Just  before  we  reached 
the  greatest  ascent  we  passed  an  enormous  and  perfectly  level 
plain,  which,  with  the  surrounding  hills,  made  a fine  scene. 
Then  came  a region  of  rough,  brown  rocks,  interesting  but 
hardly  grand,  and  afterward  another  plain,  and  then,  on  all 
sides,  carefully  cultivated  fields  stretched  away  to  Santiago, 
where  we  soon  drew  up  in  a handsome  iron  station,  a hun- 
dred and  fifteen  miles  from  Yalparaiso.  A long  drive  through 
uninteresting  streets  then  took  me  to  the  best  hotel,  at  the 
opposite  end  of  the  city. 

On  the  eastern  side  of  Santiago  there  is  a singular  rocky 
hill  which  rises  abruptly  from  the  level  plain  to  a height  of 
eight  hundred  feet,  and  from  which  may  be  had  a remarkably 
interesting  view  of  the  city  and  the  great  snowy  range  of  the 
Andes.  This  outlook,  called  the  “ Cerro  de  Santa  Lucia,”  is 
a very  popular  resort  with  both  citizens  and  strangers.  A 
good  carriage-road  winds  upward  nearly  to  the  summit,  and 
paths  and  stone  staircases  seem  to  lead  up  and  about  it  in 
every  direction.  It  is  surrounded  at  the  base  by  a lofty  wall, 
with  an  imposing  iron  gateway,  where  a small  entrance  fee  is 
charged.  The  near  appearance  of  this  miniature  hill  is  espe- 
cially striking.  Here  is  a bare,  rocky  precipice,  there  a mass 
of  evergreen  trees  and  vines  ; here  is  a bed  of  flowers  perched 
in  an  almost  inaccessible  nook,  there  are  grottoes,  statues, 
belvederes,  a swimming-bath,  a restaurant,  kiosks,  a his- 
torical museum,  and  an  astronomical  observatory  ; while,  in 
contrast  to  all  the  rest,  the  actual  apex  of  sharp  rock  is  cov- 
ered by  an  octagonal  cupola  of  glass.  All  these  improve- 


View  from  the  Principal  Square  of  Santiago. 


THE  CAPITAL  OF  CHILL 


109 


ments  and  embellishments  were  effected  by  the  late  Benjamin 
Yicuna  Mackenna,  the  eminent  Chilian  author,  editor,  orator, 
and  statesman,  who  was  Governor  of  Santiago  for  many 
years,  and  one  of  the  candidates  for  the  presidency  in  18T6, 
though  he  failed  of  election.  The  staircases  leading  to  the 
highest  point  are  necessarily  very  narrow  and  steep,  and  it 
really  requires  a strong  head  and  a steady  foot  for  the  ascent. 
But,  having  clambered  up,  one  is  amply  repaid  by  the  mag- 
nificent prospect.  Directly  at  your  feet  lies  the  city  of  San- 
tiago, on  an  almost  perfectly  level  plain,  its  houses  of  pink, 
white,  green,  and  yellow,  picturesquely  contrasting  with  each 
other,  and  the  monotony  of  their  tiled  roofs  artistically  broken 
by  church  spires,  towers,  and  lofty  public  buildings.  Through 
the  northern  part  of  the  city  flows  a small  stream,  called  the 
Mapocho,  which  is  crossed  by  five  bridges,  one  of  them 
flanked  with  little  shops  like  the  famous  Ponte  Vecchio  at 
Florence.  The  city  itself  is  regularly  laid  out,  and  covers  a 
very  large  area  for  its  population  of  a hundred  and  thirty 
thousand  ; but  one  should  remember  that,  owing  to  the  preva- 
lence of  earthquakes,  its  houses  are  built  mostly  no  higher 
than  two  stories.  The  streets  are  comparatively  broad  and 
covered  with  the  “ Belgian”  pavement.  The  city  is  gener- 
ally lighted  by  gas,  though  the  electric  light  is  also  used, 
especially  in  the  best  class  of  stores.  Santiago  seems,  from 
the  top  of  the  Cerro  de  Santa  Lucia,  to  be  completely  sur- 
rounded by  lofty  mountains.  The  range  to  the  north  and 
east  is  thickly  cased  with  snow. 

The  Great  Square  of  Santiago,  or  Plaza  Indepen dencia,  as 
as  it  is  called,  is  quite  imposing,  though  its  general  arrange- 
ment is  not  unlike  those  of  other  large  South  American  cities. 
In  the  center  is  a handsome  old  marble  fountain,  which  is 
encircled  by  a large  garden  filled  with  flowers,  statues,  mar- 
ble settees,  and  neat  gravel  walks.  On  one  side  of  the  square 
are  the  buildings  of  the  municipality ; on  another,  a large 
edifice  with  pleasing  architectural  features,  arranged  below 
with  shops  faced  by  an  arched  pathway,  and  occupied  above 
by  dwelling-rooms.  Another  side  is  monopolized  by  an 


no  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

enormous  three-story  building,  called  the  Grand  English 
Hotel,  and  by  two  great  arcades  crossing  each  other  at  right 
angles,  and  extending  from  street  to  street.  These  arcades 
are  of  white  stucco,  with  semicircular  roofs  of  glass  and  iron. 
They  contain  many  tine  shops,  those  devoted  to  jewelry  and 
bric-a-brac  seeming  to  predominate.  The  remaining  side  of 
the  grand  plaza  is  nearly  all  filled  by  the  cathedral,  a huge 
building  of  brick  and  stone,  with  a single  rough-brick  tower, 
the  whole  being  quite  uncouth  and  unfinished  on  the  outside. 
Inside,  however,  the  edifice  is  one  of  the  very  finest  of  its 
class,  simply  yet  richly  furnished,  and  therefore  lacking  in 
the  tawdriness  that  is  often  the  case  with  cathedral  interiors. 
In  the  Great  Square  you  find  the  principal  hackney-coach 
stand ; the  terminus  of  one  of  the  many  tramway  lines  which 
traverse  the  city  in  every  direction  ; and  a music  pavilion, 
where  occasionally  a military  band  performs  in  the  evening. 
From  the  center  of  the  plaza  a splendid  view  may  be  ob- 
tained of  the  great  snow-capped  mountains  by  which  San- 
tiago is  fianked  on  the  northeast. 

The  Chilian  Capitol  is  an  imposing  structure,  two  stories 
in  height,  with  rows  of  great  columns  and  many  chaste 
ornaments,  the  whole  exterior  being  of  a brownish-yellow 
stucco.  The  building  contains  three  great  halls  : that  of 
the  senators,  that  of  the  deputies,  and  that  in  which  the 
President  takes  the  oath  of  office.  These  halls  are  very 
plainly  finished  in  white  stucco,  with  a few  simple  frescoes  on 
the  ceiling,  and  are  illuminated  by  great  sky-lights  and  fur- 
nished with  plain  leather  chairs.  The  Chilian  Congress  is 
composed  of  about  forty  senators  and  one  hundred  and  ten 
deputies.  Directly  in  front  of  the  Capitol  is  a small  park, 
which  was  formerly  the  site  of  the  Jesuits’  church,  wherein 
so  many  women  were  burned  on  the  night  of  the  8th  of  De- 
cember, 1868.  That  terrible  calamity  is  commemorated  by 
a graceful  marble  and  bronze  monument,  with  an  inscription 
on  the  pedestal,  dated  December  8,  1873,  informing  the 
stranger  that  it  was  the  offering  of  the  love  and  inextinguish- 
able grief  of  the  people  of  Santiago.  It  will  be  remembered 


THE  CAPITAL  OF  CHILL 


111 


that  the  church  took  fire  from  some  of  its  altar-candles,  on 
the  occasion  of  a crowded  evening  festival.  The  congrega- 
tion was,  as  usual,  mostly  composed  of  women,  who,  in  their 
frantic  efforts  to  escape,  became  blocked  against  the  closed 
doors,  which  unfortunately  wTere  made  to  open  inward.  1ST o 
help  could  come  from  outside,  and,  as  the  monument  pathet- 
ically says,  “ two  thousand  victims,  more  or  less,”  miserably 
perished. 

One  afternoon  I visited  the  Botanical  and  Zoological  Gar- 
dens and  the  National  Museum,  which  they  surround,  and 
which  is  at  present  housed  in  the  Exposition  Palace.  The 
Botanical  Gardens  are  laid  out  on  a grand  scale,  with  a very 
great  variety  of  plants,  fine  walks,  statues,  and  summer-houses. 
Near  a lake  stands  the  rather  imposing  building  of  the  ex- 
position, two  stories  in  height,  with  grand  entrance  and  great 
central  hall,  the  whole  very  much  resembling  that  at  Lima. 
It  contained  a fair  general  zoological  collection,  with  good 
mounting  of  specimens  and  explicit  labels  in  Latin  and  Span- 
ish. The  collection  of  South  American  animals  is  very  com- 
plete, and  that  of  Chilian  birds  especially  claimed  my  atten- 
tion. There  is  also  a good  though  small  botanical  display,  or, 
more  properly  speaking,  an  herbarium — leaves  and  flowers 
dried  and  pressed  in  books,  seeds  and  grain  preserved  in  bot- 
tles, and  sawed  sections  of  trees.  In  the  great  central  hall  is 
a very  complete  exhibit  of  school  accessories — text-books, 
colored  maps,  diagrams  of  many  subjects,  plaster  casts,  mani- 
kins, natural  history  cabinets,  and  class-room  furniture.  The 
Zoological  Garden  adjoins  the  botanical.  It  covers  a goodly 
extent  of  ground,  and  is  capitally  arranged  for  observation 
in  long  avenues.  Here,  besides  the  animals  usually  found  in 
menageries,  the  world  over,  one  sees  a great  variety  peculiar 
to  South  America — such  as  llamas,  alpacas,  guanacos,  and 
vicunas.  Many  of  the  best  specimens  were  brought  from 
Lima  by  the  Chilians  after  the  late  war.  To  enter  these 
gardens  a slight  charge  is  made  at  the  principal  gate.  On 
leaving,  I drove  along  the  Alameda,  a long  and  very  broad 
boulevard,  containing  four  rows  of  enormous  poplars,  a wide 


112  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


central  path,  statnes,  lines  of  tramway,  and  paved  streets  on 
the  onter  sides.  This  splendid  avenue  runs  nearly  the  entire 
length  of  the  city,  and  that  portion  of  it  nearest  the  Grand 
Plaza,  and  the  Cerro  de  Santa  Lucia  contains  many  hand- 
some private  residences  and  some  imposing  public  institu- 
tions. In  returning  to  the  hotel  I was  especially  struck  with 
the  quantity  and  variety  of  the  foreign  element  in  Santiago, 
as  evidenced  by  the  business  signs  alone — French,  German, 
Italian,  English.  But  it  is  not  in  this  city  as  in  Valparaiso, 
where  you  seem  scarcely  to  meet  a native  face  in  walking 
through  the  chief  streets  ; for  here  the  peculiar  Chilian  type 
of  feature  and  extreme  of  Paris  fashion  in  dress  are  every- 
where obtrusive.  A noticeable  characteristic  of  the  streets  is 
the  uniformed  policemen,  who  wear  swords,  which  it  is  said 
they  sometimes  are  not  slow  to  use.  Perhaps  they  are  not 
more  prudent  or  less  brutal  than  policemen  in  Hew  York. 
At  night  they  keep  up  a great  noise  by  whistling  one  to  the 
other,  according  to  an  accepted  code.  During  the  day  they 
are  inoffensive  enough,  walking  quietly  about,  but  at  night 
they  become  an  intolerable  nuisance.  This  habit  of  constant 
whistling  is  altogether  absurd  in  view  of  the  fact  that  an 
intending  evil-doer  is  thereby  warned  of  the  exact  locality 
of  the  watchmen. 

At  the  principal  theatre  of  Santiago  I heard  the  opera  of 
“ Bigoletto,”  and  saw  the  ballet  entitled  “Brahma.”  The 
theatre  is  a handsome  building  outside,  and  very  comfortable 
and  pretty  inside.  It  is  built  in  the  form  of  a horseshoe, 
with  four  tiers  of  boxes,  and  is  richly  decorated  in  white  and 
gold.  A proscenium-box  is  set  aside  for  the  President  of 
the  Bepublic.  The  orchestra  numbered  seventy-five.  The 
house  was  only  partially  filled,  “ Rigoletto  ” seeming  every- 
where to  have  rather  outlived  its  once  great  popularity.  The 
ladies  were  richly  dressed  in  gay-colored  silks,  without  bon- 
nets or  cloaks,  but  with  very  curious  feathers  perched  upon 
the  tops  of  their  heads,  sometimes  spread  out,  though  more 
often  in  balls  that  resembled  powder-puffs.  These  plumy 
crests  were  eminently  successful  in  making  an  otherwise  well- 


THE  CAPITAL  OF  CHILI. 


113 


dressed  lady  appear  ridiculous.  The  performances  of  the 
singers,  musicians,  and  dancers  alike  left  very  much  to  be 
desired.  In  fact,  they  would  not  hear  comparison  with  any 
respectable  European  or  ISTorth  American  standard. 

I returned  to  Valparaiso  and  took  steamer  to  Montevideo, 
Uruguay,  via  the  Strait  of  Magellan  and  the  Falkland  Isl- 
ands. I had  at  first  proposed  to  myself  to  go  from  Santiago 
across  the  Andes,  by  the  Uspallata  Pass,  to  Mendoza  in  the 
Argentine  Republic,  and  thence  by  rail,  in  four  days,  to  the 
city  of  Buenos  Ayres.  The  actual  passage  through  the 
mountains  is  from  the  village  of  Santa  Rosa,  the  terminus 
of  the  railway  from  Santiago.  From  here  the  distance  to 
Mendoza  is  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  and  in  sum- 
mer the  journey  is  only  a pleasant  mule-ride  of  six  days; 
but  in  winter  snow-storms  are  frequent,  there  are  heavy 
rains  and  furious  gales,  and  all  travel  ceases  save  that  of  the 
native  couriers.  Even  these  are  frequently  snowed  up  for 
days  in  the  snow-huts  by  the  road-side,  and  occasionally  they 
succumb  to  the  hardships  of  the  trip  and  perish.  As  it  was 
still  the  closed  or  bad  season,  I decided  it  was  best  for  me  to 
go  to  Montevideo  and  Buenos  Ayres  by  sea,  and  I afterward 
had  great  reason  to  congratulate  myself  on  the  choice.  But 
I was  not  the  less  interested  in  learning  some  particulars  of 
the  overland  routes  from  Chili  to  the  Argentine  Republic. 
It  appears  that,  among  very  many  that  might  be  available, 
but  six  are  frequently  used.  Of  these,  the  Portillo  Pass,  the 
shortest  but  one  of  the  highest,  was  that  crossed  by  the  illus- 
trious naturalist  Darwin  in  1834.  The  Uspallata,  however, 
running  between  the  two  great  peaks  of  Aconcagua  and 
Tupungato,  and  nearly  thirteen  thousand  feet  above  the  sea- 
level,  is  that  most  traversed  at  the  present  day.  During  the 
whole  of  summer  great  numbers  of  cattle  are  driven  over  this 
route  from  the  dreary  pampas  of  the  Argentine  to  the  fruit- 
ful valleys  of  Chili.  At  this  season  mules  are  employed  in 
the  trans-Andean  journey,  but  in  winter  it  is  said  to-be  best 
to  go  on  foot.  Then  shoes  of  raw  leather  are  worn,  as  ordi- 
nary boots  would  burn  the  feet.  To  keep  one  warm  at  night 
8 


114  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

the  extremely  novel  yet  highly  successful  plan  is  adopted  of 
taking  along  three  or  four  dogs  as  sleeping  partners.  These 
are  transformed  to  very  active  partners  by  day,  when,  as  is 
necessary,  they  are  provided  with  snow-shoes.  For  the 
human  traveler,  in  addition  to  heavy  winter  clothing,  sheep- 
skin trousers,  with  the  wool  inside  of  course,  are  used  as  a 
protection  against  frost-bite  in  wading  through  deep  snow- 
drifts. The  guides  will  carry  a hundred  pounds  weight  of 
baggage,  and  yet  readily  keep  pace  with  the  unladen  traveler. 
On  the  Uspallata  route  are  good  post-houses,  which,  in  addi- 
tion to  being  comfortable,  till  the  position  of  country  stores, 
with  large  assortments  of  necessaries.  The  snow-houses 
above  mentioned  are  distributed  at  dangerous  points  on  the 
route.  They  are  really  houses  of  refuge  for  exhausted  or 
storm-bound  travelers.  They  are  of  uniform  structure,  a 
simple  hut,  about  fifteen  feet  square,  and  the  same  in  height, 
with  no  window  and  but  one  small  door.  No  chimney  being 
built,  a fire  used  for  both  cooking  and  heating  is  made  in  the 
center  of  the  room  upon  the  ground,  and  sends  forth  smoke 
which  proves  a distressing  nuisance  to  the  wayfarer,  who  has 
often  to  pass  several  days  thus  “ cabined,  cribbed,  confined.” 
It  has  been  proposed  to  connect  the  towns  of  Santa  Rosa 
and  Mendoza  by  a railroad  through  the  Uspallata  Pass,  which 
would  bring  Buenos  Ayres  within  twenty-nine  hours  of  Val- 
paraiso. A concession  has  actually  been  granted  with  this  end 
in  view,  and  surveys  have  been  made  and  work  begun.  The 
estimated  cost  is  ten  million  dollars.  The  engineering  work, 
though  severe,  would  not  be  nearly  as  difficult  as  that  upon 
either  the  Oroya  or  Arequipa-Puno  roads  of  Peru.  The 
Uspallata  road  would  cross  the  Cordillera  at  the  summit  at 
an  elevation  of  10,568  feet,  through  a tunnel  which  wTould 
have  to  be  two  miles  in  length.  The  steepest  incline  would 
be  three  and  one  half  per  cent,  and  the  minimum  curve 
would  have  a radius  of  five  hundred  and  fifty  feet.  The 
total  distance  from  Valparaiso  to  Buenos  Ayres  by  this  route 
would  be  eight  hundred  and  seventy  miles.  This  railroad  is 
not  yet  completed,  but  a telegraph  line  has  recently  been 


THE  CAPITAL  OF  CHILL 


115 


finished  between  the  two  capitals.  It  is  an  iron-pole  line,  in 
connection  with  forty  miles  of  cable,  laid  under  the  perpetual 
snows  of  the  Andes,  and  will  insure  communication  between 
Buenos  Ayres  and  London,  via  Galveston,  in  a little  over  an 
hour. 

In  many  respects  Chili  is  the  most  vigorous  and  power- 
ful of  the  South  American  nations.  During  the  last  ten 
years  her  revenues  and  foreign  trade  have  each  rather  more 
than  doubled.  She  has  shown  good  sense  in  cultivating 
peace,  rather  than  keeping  up  the  war  spirit,  though  she  may 
take  just  pride  in  the  prowess  of  her  arms.  With  Peru  and 
Bolivia  both  against  her,  this  enterprising  republic  succeed- 
ed in  inflicting  on  the  former  one  of  the  most  complete  disas- 
ters, both  by  land  and  sea,  recorded  in  recent  warfare.  She 
annihilated  the  really  strong  navy  of  Peru,  carried  her  vic- 
torious army  into  Lima  itself,  broke  the  Peruvian  army  into 
fragments,  until  only  a few  fugitive  guerrillas  were  left,  and 
exacted  a war  indemnity,  the  cession  of  territory,  and  the 
control  of  the  disputed  nitrate  and  guano  districts,  as  condi- 
tions of  peac,e.  Chili  must  of  necessity  ultimately  become 
an  industrial  nation,  and  the  completion  of  the  trans-Andean 
railway,  and  foreign  immigration,  will  greatly  contribute  to 
this  end. 

In  leaving  Valparaiso  I chose  the  German  line  of  steam- 
ers which  plies  between  Callao  and  Hamburg  every  three 
weeks,  and  which  is  styled  the  Kosmos  Steamship  Naviga- 
tion Company.  My  particular  steamer  was  the  Bamses,  a 
fine  little  vessel  of  about  two  thousand  tons  burden,  and  one 
of  the  smallest  of  a fleet  which  numbers  fourteen.  We  car- 
ried about  a dozen  first-class  passengers,  who  nearly  filled  our 
little  table  and  all  the  cabins.  I found  the  accommodations 
very  comfortable,  the  food  excellent,  the  servants  attentive. 
We  had  a modern  confusion  of  tongues  on  board,  passengers 
and  officers  together  speaking  German,  English,  Spanish, 
French,  Italian,  and  Portuguese.  The  English  steamers  pass 
only  through  the  Strait  of  Magellan  in  going  from  ocean  to 
ocean,  but  the  German  line  passes  also  through  a series  of 


116  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

very  beautiful  fiords  upon  the  western  coast  of  Chili,  styled 
in  brief  the  Smyth’s  Channel  route.  Hence  my  preference 
for  the  German  steamer. 

Heaj"  sunset,  as  we  steamed  rapidly  out  of  the  commodi- 
ous harbor  of  Valparaiso,  I obtained  superb  views  of  the  city 
and  the  surrounding  hills.  Grandest  of  all,  however,  the 
sublime  Aconcagua  deigned  to  unveil  itself  in  all  its  majesty. 
A long  range  of  lofty,  snow-clad  mountains  extended  from 
north  to  south,  and  from  about  their  center,  as  I took  my 
view,  rose  Aconcagua,  twenty-three  thousand  four  hundred 
feet  in  perpendicular  height  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The 
clouds  lay  lightly  upon  parts  of  the  range,  but  Aconcagua 
towered  apparently  twice  as  high  as  the  others,  quite  above 
the  clouds,  solitary,  peaked,  and  serrated.  It  bore  more  the 
appearance  of  the  great  Himalaya  summits  than  any  others 
I had  seen  in  South  America,  and  for  sublimity  would  rival 
the  view  of  Chimborazo  obtained  from  the  Guayaquil  River. 
As  the  sun  dropped  into  the  dark  ocean,  the  mountain-range, 
the  earth  whence  it  arose,  and  the  firmament  into  which  it 
soared,  combined  to  form  a most  enchanting  spectacle.  The 
jet-black  of  unlit  peaks,  low  down,  contrasted  with  the  brill- 
iant purple  of  illuminated  ridges,  higher  up,  and  these,  again, 
with  the  vast  snow-fields,  changed  into  a sea  of  flame  by  the 
expiring  rays.  Those  beams  in  turn  threw  an  iridescent 
light  upon  toppling  banks  of  cloud,  reflected  themselves 
faintly  upon  the  gray  shipping  in  the  harbor  behind  us,  and 
made  clear  the  horizon  of  the  broad  Pacific  through  which 
we  were  to  plow. 


CHAPTER  XIY. 


FIORD  AND  FUEGIAN. 

Our  first  stop  was  at  Lota,  about  thirty  hours  from  Val- 
paraiso. It  is  a small  village  on  the  eastern  side  of  a large 
indenture  of  the  coast,  named  Arauco  Bay,  and  is  the  seat 
of  very  extensive  and  valuable  copper  and  coal  mines.  It 
contains  two  very  large  smelting- works.  About  a dozen  col- 
liers were  rolling  in  the  swell  as  we  dropped  our  anchor  near 
an  iron  pier,  on  which  an  engine  was  drawing  a coal- train  to 
load  a Chilian  steamer.  Around  the  roadstead  are  high 
bluffs,  except  in  one  level  section  where  stand  the  village  of 
Lota  and  the  copper-works  and  houses  of  the  workmen. 
Upon  the  hill  to  the  northward  is  a lofty  iron  lighthouse 
which  looks,  at  a distance,  like  an  Egyptian  minaret.  It  was 
not  taken  as  spoils  from  the  Egyptians,  however,  but  from 
the  Peruvians,  during  the  late  “ unpleasantness.”  The  cop- 
per mines  and  smelting- works  in  Lota  are  the  sole  property 
of  Senora  Cousino,  the  wealthiest  woman  in  Chili,  and  prob- 
ably in  the  world.  She  has  a palace  in  Santiago,  but  resides 
in  Lota  a portion  of  the  year,  in  a large  and  magnificent 
house  with  grounds  beautified  to  the  last  degree  both  by 
nature  and  art,  though  more  especially  by  the  latter.  The 
grounds  constitute  a veritable  botanical  garden.  They  com- 
prise great  vegetable  and  flower  inclosures,  enormous  green- 
houses, Turkish  towers,  fountains,  belvederes  by  the  sea, 
brooks,  suspension-bridges,  a labyrinth  of  arbor-vitae,  ponds, 
grottoes,  and  waterfalls.  Pifty  men  are  constantly  employed 
upon  this  splendid  place,  and  you  quickly  realize  the  pro- 
priety of  a Latin  motto  upon  one  of  the  bridges,  “ Labor 


118  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


omnia  vincit .”  The  fortune  of  Senora  Cousino  is  estimated 
at  hundreds  of  millions  of  dollars.  She  has  millions  of 
money,  millions  of  acres  of  land,  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
cattle,  coal,  copper,  and  silver  mines,  acres  of  real  estate  in 
Valparaiso  and  Santiago,  a fleet  of  eight  iron  steamships, 
smelting-works,  a railroad,  etc.  Every  house  in  Lota,  a vil- 
lage of  some  seven  thousand  inhabitants,  is  hers,  and  to  the 
people  of  this  village  she  pays  out  over  one  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars  monthly.  She  owns  the  only  large  coal-mines 
in  South  America,  from  which  alone  she  receives  seventy- 
live  thousand  dollars  a month.  All  these  vast  enterprises 
Senora  Cousino  herself  controls  and  directs,  exhibiting  great 
foresight,  breadth  of  purpose,  and  large  ability  as  a manager 
of  affairs.  Her  income  of  course  is  expressed  in  seven  fig- 
ures. Ho  wonder  she  is  styled  the  “ Countess  ” of  Monte 
Cristo ! 

We  shipped  one  hundred  tons  of  bar-copper  and  a great 
quantity  of  tanned  hides.  Among  other  items  in  our  cargo, 
received  in  Peruvian  and  Chilian  ports,  might  be  mentioned 
silver  ore  and  ingots,  copper  ore  and  bars,  bales  of  tobacco, 
sacks  of  horns,  alpaca-skins  and  sheep-skins,  bullocks’  hides, 
borax,  coca,  barrels  of  honey,  and  rolls  of  sole- leather.  We 
moved  five  miles  to  the  eastward  of  Lota,  to  Coronel,  and  at 
once  began  the  loading  of  five  hundred  tons  of  coal.  This 
is  the  great  coal  region  of  Chili,  one  hundred  and  fifty  thou- 
sand tons  a year  being  dug  from  mines,  most  of  which  bor- 
der upon  the  sea.  The  coal  is  light,  and  inferior  to  that  of 
Wales.  Though  it  has  good  steaming  qualities,  it  burns  too 
quickly.  It  is  largely  used  by  the  steamers  which  visit  the 
west  coast,  and  is  also  carried  to  other  parts  of  the  world. 
On  leaving  Coronel  we  experienced  cold,  squally  weather. 
We  passed  first  the  Island  of  Chiloe,  the  northernmost  of  the 
great  chain  of  islands  and  archipelagoes  which  extends  from 
latitude  42°  southward  to  Cape  Horn.  Chiloe  is  very  hilly, 
and  covered  with  forest.  It  is  thinly  peopled  by  Indians, 
but  the  interior  has  not  been  well  explored.  Money  is 
almost  unknown,  and  therefore  business  transactions  are  gen- 


FIORD  AND  FTJEGIAN 


119 


erally  by  barter.  Next  we  pass  Iluafo  Island  and  the  Cbonos 
Archipelago,  a great  number  of  rugged  and  barren  islands, 
some  of  them  as  much  as  four  thousand  feet  above  the  sea. 
The  formation  of  many  of  the  islands  is  a sandstone  so  soft 
as  to  be  easily  cut  with  a knife.  Upon  the  mainland  are 
several  peaks,  the  loftiest  being  nearly  ten  thousand  feet, 
though  we  get  but  occasional  glimpses  of  them  on  account 
of  the  bad  weather.  It  becomes  so  cold  that  a tire  is  made 
in  our  cabin  stove.  We  keep  steadily  on,  passing  the  Tay- 
tas  Peninsula  and  Cape  Tres  Montes,  named  from  its  three 
small  hills.  In  the  interior,  on  the  boundary  between  Chili 
and  the  Argentine  Republic,  is  Mount  St.  Yalentin,  nearly 
thirteen  thousand  feet  high.  During  the  following  two  days 
the  steamer  scarcely  advanced  at  all,  and  rolled  sc  badly  that 
it  was  really  dangerous  to  try  to  get  from  one  part  of  the 
deck  to  another.  However,  we  succeeded  at  last  in  crossing 
the  Gulf  of  Penas,  and  entered  Messier  Channel — the  begin- 
ning of  our  fiord  navigation — between  Wellington  Island 
and  the  mainland. 

Wellington  is  the  largest  island  on  the  coast  of  Chili, 
being  one  hundred  and  forty  miles  long  and  about  thirty 
wide.  It  seems  to  support  nothing  better  than  several  kinds 
of  evergreens,  antarctic  beeches,  and  a sort  of  soft,  spongy 
moss.  Messier  Channel  varies  from  six  hundred  feet  to 
three  miles  in  width.  Its  navigation  is  not  difficult,  save  in 
the  most  straitened  part — called  the  English  Narrows — 
where  the  tide  runs  about  seven  miles  an  hour.  This  section 
it  is  customary  to^  pass  only  at  slack  water.  At  night  the 
steamers  anchor,  though  American  mail  - steamers  of  four 
thousand  tons,  and  English  war- vessels  of  even  greater  ton- 
nage, have  safely  gone  through  this  contracted  passage.  The 
scenery  of  the  channel,  up  to  the  spot  just  above  the  English 
Narrows,  where  we  anchored  to  await  the  turn  of  the  tide, 
was  extremely  diversified.  There  were  thickly  wooded  isl- 
ands, on  the  mainland  low,  grassy  hills,  and  behind  them 
higher  ranges  and  peaks  of  every  contour,  but  devoid  of 
vegetation  and  covered  with  snow.  The  scenery  is  very  like 


120  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


that  of  the  southern  fiords  of  Norway.  To  the  eastward  of 
the  English  Narrows  is  a volcano  seven  thousand  feet  in 
height,  named  Eitzroy,  from  the  famous  English  navigator 
of  that  name,  who  was  captain  of  the  Beagie  on  the  expedi- 
tion around  the  world  which  Charles  Darwin  accompanied 
as  naturalist.  But  we  do  not  get  extended  views  of  the 
mountain  scenery,  owing  to  the  misty  and  cloudy  atmos- 
phere. In  this  locality,  and  especially  at  this  time  of  the 
year,  there  is  almost  perpetual  rain,  with  much  fog,  occa- 
sional snow,  and  often  heavy  squalls,  which  come  down  the 
precipitous  mountain-sides  with  a very  dangerous  force.  As 
on  the  coast  of  Norway,  so  on  that  of  Chili,  the  fiords  are 
generally  very  deep  and  their  shores  very  steep.  Before 
entering  the  English  Narrows  our  boats  were  swung  out  and 
half  lowered,  to  be  ready  in  case  of  running  upon  rock  or 
reef,  or  any  other  possible  emergency.  The  whole  crew 
were  told  oh  for  special  service.  A number  stood  in  the 
stern  prepared  at  once  to  rig  the  auxiliary  steering  apparatus 
should  that  in  customary  use  give  way.  The  carpenter  and 
a boatswain  remained  at  the  windlass  in  the  prow  quite  ready 
to  let  go  the  anchor  at  a moment’s  notice.  The  channel  had 
some  pretty  sharp  turns,  and  at  the  narrowest  place — about 
six  hundred  feet  across — slack  water  was  on  one  side  and  a 
current  on  the  other.  Still  we  went  gayly  through,  steam- 
ing along  at  full  speed.  The  woody  little  islands  recalled 
several  of  the  Scotch  lakes,  but  the  rough,  snofv-covered  hills 
spoke  only  of  Norway  or  Alaska.  The  southern  half  of  Mes- 
sier Channel  contracts  to  about  half  a mile,  with  walls  of  al- 
most perpendicular  rock,  from  one  to  three  thousand  feet  in 
height,  and  with  no  vegetation  except  near  the  water’s  edge. 
This  part  is  appropriately  styled  Chasm  Beach.  Little  cas- 
cades trickled  down  all  the  nearer  hills,  and  upon  some  of 
them  were  pretty  miniature  glaciers.  One  huge,  dome-shaped 
mountain  seemed  to  be  a solid  mass  of  granite,  without  a sin- 
gle scrap  of  verdure.  As  we  passed  on,  the  light  green  of 
the  trees,  the  darker  green  of  the  scrub,  the  brown  of  the 
moss,  the  purple  of  the  great  bare  rock,  the  pure  white  snow, 


Puerto  Bueno , Smyth's  Channel. 


FIORD  AND  FUEGIAN. 


121 


and  the  leaden-colored  clonds  above,  made  np  a series  of  ex- 
quisite panoramas. 

During  the  following  day  we  had  in  almost  continual  , 
view  a range  of  magnificent,  snow-covered  mountains,  per- 
haps a hundred  miles  in  length,  and  belonging  to  the  same 
great  chain  of  Andes  which  extends,  almost  unbroken,  from 
the  Isthmus  of  Panama  to  Cape  Horn.  The  range  which  we 
saw  from  the  steamer  was  about  eighty  miles  distant.  The 
highest  point,  a splendid  pyramid  of  rock  and  snow,  called 
Mount  Stokes,  was  sixty-four  hundred  feet  in  height.  The 
whole  range,  observed  from  the  sea-level,  loomed  in  the  air 
with  all  the  grandeur  of  mountains  twenty  thousand  feet  in 
height,  as  usually  seen  from  points  on  land  probably  half 
their  altitude.  These  Chilian  mountains  are  of  the  most 
fantastic  description.  Their  contour  is  infinite.  They  are 
peaked,  jagged,  dome  and  pyramid  shaped.  Lofty,  needle- 
like summits  often  occur,  and  the  amount  of  snow  which  ad- 
heres to  their  almost  perpendicular  sides  is  simply  astonish- 
ing. There  are,  too,  scores  of  glaciers  as  splendid  as  any  in 
Switzerland.  But  how  can  I give  the  reader  an  idea  of  the 
varying  colors,  the  weirdness,  and  the  utter  savageness  of 
this  antarctic  scenery  ? An  artist  would  rave,  a poet  would 
rhyme.  At  first  I thought  of  Norway,  then  of  Switzerland, 
then  of  Bolivia,  and  then  of  India ; but  the  unobstructed 
view  of  these  mountains,  on  a perfectly  clear  day — a very  un- 
usual thing  in  these  parts — is  much  grander  than  anything  in 
Norway,  quite  equal  to  anything  in  Switzerland,  and  only 
surpassed  by  the  ranges  of  Bolivia  and  India.  They  took,  as 
I have  said,  every  conceivable  shape,  and  it  needed  but  little 
help  from  the  imagination  to  behold  great  white  Kremlins, 
cathedrals  like  that  at  Milan,  pyramids  like  Cheops,  towers 
like  those  of  Notre  Dame,  pinnacles  like  the  Needles  of  the 
English  Channel.  At  every  turn  of  our  steamer  there  were 
novel  and  romantic  visions.  At  one  point,  that  opposite 
Nelson  Strait,  which  communicates  directly  with  the  Pacific, 
we  saw  an  especially  magnificent  glacier  of  pure  green  ice, 
winding  down  a mountain,  its  base  almost  reaching  the  sur~ 


122  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


face  of  the  fiord.  Glaciers  so  numerous  and  vast,  snow-fields 
so  measureless,  I have  never  seen  in  any  other  part  of  the 
, globe.  Several  times  during  the  day  we  could  look  between 
the  islands  and  obtain  pleasing  vistas  of  the  distant  ocean. 
And  to  think  that  all  these  beautiful  and  majestic  scenes  are 
altogether  unknown  to  the  general  tourist,  and  all  but  un- 
known to  even  world- wide  travelers ! Though  I had  a choice 
of  routes  from  Santiago  to  Buenos  Ayres  or  Montevideo,  and 
though  I had  questioned  a dozen  people  as  to  which  route 
was  the  most  interesting,  no  one  especially  commended  to 
me  that  course  by  which  I should  see  the  picturesque  won- 
ders of  Messier  and  Sarmiento  Channels.  And  yet  the  fiords 
and  mountains  of  southern  Chili  I found  excelled  in  grand- 
eur and  beauty  those  of  Norway,  as  much  as  the  latter,  in 
turn,  surpass  those  of  Alaska.  No  one  should  visit  either 
Valparaiso  or  Montevideo  without  making  this  tour  of  the 
Chilian  bays  and  inlets ; and  1 hope  to  live  to  see  either  a 
“ Murray  ” or  “ Baedeker  ” hand-book  devoted  to  their 
charms.  The  winter  season  would  be  the  best  time  of  year 
to  make  this  trip — preferably  the  months  of  July,  August, 
and  September. 

The  Fuegians — half-naked  savages,  very  low  in  the  scale  of 
civilization — I had  the  opportunity  of  studying  on  two  occa- 
sions : once  while  we  were  lying  at  anchor  in  Smyth  Chan- 
nel, opposite  Mount  Burney ; and  once  in  Magellan  Strait, 
between  Croker  Peninsula  and  Santa  Inez  Island.  After  we 
had  dropped  anchor  in  the  former,  late  one  afternoon,  we 
went  ashore  in  search  of  the  Indians,  at  a small,  low,  scrubby 
island,  called,  rather  inconsiderately,  Summer  Island.  The 
pebbly  shore  shelved  so  gradually,  and  was  so  thickly  fringed 
with  kelp,  as  to  prevent  a near  approach,  and  the  sailors  bore 
us  to  land  upon  their  shoulders.  The  beaches  seemed  to  be 
composed  wholly  of  the  shells  of  mussels,  limpets,  and  other 
shell-fisli.  The  island  was  covered  with  beech  and  fir  trees, 
ferns,  myrtles,  and  coarse  grass.  At  one  point  I came  across 
some  deserted  huts  or  wigwams  of  the  Indians,  almost  hidden 
in  the  dense  scrub  adjoining  the  widely  sloping  beach.  The 


FIORD  AND  FUEGIAN. 


123 


wigwams  were  of  two  sizes,  the  smaller  being  set  apart  for 
the  children.  The  larger  were  of  an  oval  shape,  made  of 
saplings  stuck  in  the  ground,  and  fastened  together  with 
osiers  at  the  center  and  top.  They  were  about  ten  feet  in 
length,  five  in  width,  and  five  in  height.  These  frames  are 
generally  covered  with  seal-skins,  leaving  only  a single  small 
opening  for  an  entrance,  through  which  the  Indians  must 
crawl.  The  floor  is  of  dried  grass,  and  possibly  skins  also  may 
be  introduced  to  serve  as  rugs  or  couches.  The  smaller  wig- 
wams were  not  more  than  four  feet  in  diameter  and  three  in 
height.  Before  these  dwellings  was  a great  heap  of  discarded 
mussel- shells,  reminding  one  of  the  kitchen-middings  or  old 
shell-mo  nnds  of  Scandinavia. 

We  had  scarcely  returned  to  the  steamer,  regretting  that 
we  had  not  found  the  Fuegians  at  home,  when  we  saw  a canoe 
pushing  off  from  a distant  island,  and  slowly  bearing  down 
upon  us.  Lights  were  at  once  displayed,  and  we  prepared  to 
give  the  occupants  of  the  canoe  a cordial  reception.  They 
came  on  awkwardly  and  with  much  gabbling,  in  a boat  about 
twenty-five  feet  long,  four  feet  wide,  and  three  feet  deep,  with 
comparatively  sharp  ends,  each  of  which  had  an  occupant. 
When  the  boat  was  secured  alongside,  I observed  that  it  was 
made  of  plank,  sewed  together  with  fibers,  and  propelled  by 
oars  made  of  flat  slices  of  board  fastened  to  the  end  of  a pole. 
These  were  used  by  the  men  near  the  prow,  while  in  the 
stern  a woman  steered  with  a short  paddle.  The  boats  are 
unwieldy  and  logy,  and  the  Indians  seemed  to  have  no  knack 
of  propelling  them  at  any  sort  of  speed.  Certainly  they  have 
none  of  the  graceful  gliding  of  the  canoes  of  the  North 
American  Indians,  or  of  the  dug-outs  of  the  Maories  of  New 
Zealand.  On  a heap  of  sand  or  earth  upon  the  bottom,  there 
is  always  kept  burning  a small  fire,  not  for  cooking  purposes, 
for  they  rarely  cook  anything,  but  for  warmth,  and  at  night 
also  for  light.  In  the  special  canoe,  which  paid  us  the  honor 
of  a visit,  were  just  twenty  people — five  men,  four  women, 
and  eleven  children.  Eight  miserable  dogs,  used  in  hunting, 
were  likewise  accommodated.  All  the  Indians  were  jabbering, 


12 4:  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


gesticulating,  and  giggling,  like  a lot  of  school- children  ont 
for  a holiday.  The  men,  and  some  of  the  boys,  came  on 
board,  the  men  with  otter  and  seal  skins  of  not  the  best  qual- 
ity, which  they  wished  to  barter  for  tobacco,  food,  and  cloth- 
ing. These  people  were  very  short  in  stature,  and  slightly 
made.  Their  legs  were  thin,  misshapen,  and  calfless,  as  usual 
with  the  lower  races  of  savage  man.  Their  stomachs  were 
as  protuberant  as  those  of  the  clay-eaters  of  the  Orinoco. 
Their  color  was  a dark  brown  or  mahogany.  Their  eyes 
were  black  and  bright,  and  betokened  an  intelligence  which 
was  hardly  fulfilled.  The  faces  were  quite  as  broad  as  long. 
The  nose  was  flat  and  short,  mouth  large,  with  very  thick 
lips,  and  good  teeth ; and  the  men  had  slight  mustaches  but 
no  beard.  They  had  great  shocks  of  stiff,  black  hair,  cut  about 
two  inches  long  upon  the  crown,  and  “banged”  straight 
across  the  forehead,  just  above  the  eyes,  but  left  long  behind 
and  at  the  sides.  A fillet  of  ribbon  or  string  is  generally 
bound  about  the  head,  in  true  Greek  or  Eoman  style.  The 
children  were  especially  animated,  and  one  or  two  were  actu- 
ally handsome.  These  people  are  almost  as  hardy  as  the 
Esquimaux  or  Laplanders.  It  was  a bitter  cold,  rainy,  and 
windy  night,  and  yet  the  men  were  almost  naked,  the  chil- 
dren wholly  so,  and  the  women  partially  so — seeming,  in  fact, 
to  care  less  about  dress  than  the  men.  A few  had  seal-skins 
loosely  attached  to  their  shoulders,  and  altogether  open  in 
front ; some  wore  old  pieces  of  coarse  sacking ; others  sported 
European  coats  or  jackets,  but  evidently  these  were  worn 
more  for  variety  than  either  decency  or  comfort.  Men  and 
women  alike  will  remove  and  sell  you  any  skin  they  may 
have  on — save  their  own — for  a little  ship’s  biscuit,  or  to- 
bacco, or  a box  of  matches.  Besides  skins,  they  proffer  in 
barter  their  domestic  utensils  and  their  weapons,  generally 
bows  and  arrows,  the  arrows  not  feathered,  and  the  barb  con- 
sisting of  a triangular  piece  of  glass  ground  sharp.  While 
the  men  were  on  the  steamer’s  deck  engaged  in  traffic,  the 
women  in  the  boat  were  singing  a plaintive  kind  of  song,  and 
the  children  were  staring  with  all  their  eyes,  and  with  open 


Fuegians  at  Home. 


FIOED  AND  FUEGIAN. 


125 


month,  at  the  wonderful  fire-boat  and  its  pale-faced  occu- 
pants. They  were  constantly  chattering  to  each  other  in  a 
sort  of  guttural,  disconnected  talk,  which  distantly  resembled 
Japanese.  The  largest  children  were  squatting  all  in  a heap 
near  the  fire.  One  of  the  women,  who  sat  in  the  stern  to 
steer,  had,  after  the  fashion  of  a hen,  two  or  three  very  young 
children  or  babies  between  her  legs  and  in  her  lap,  to  keep 
them  warm,  I suppose,  for  they  had  not  a stitch  of  clothing 
upon  them.  The  sailors  gave  the  men  pipes  to  smoke,  first 
showing  them  how  the  feat  was  accomplished,  and  rigged 
them  out  with  old  caps,  coats,  trousers,  shirts,  and  drawers. 
The  cook  poured  into  their  boat  an  enormous  panful  of 
hard-tack,  or  ship’s  biscuit,  for  which  there  was  a great 
scramble  and  much  noisy  congratulation.  Liquor  was  given 
them,  but  they  did  not  take  so  kindly  to  this  as  to  the  to- 
bacco. One  of  our  crew  then  brought  out  an  accordion,  and 
endeavored  to  get  them  to  dance  or  at  least  sing,  but  he  was 
not  at  all  successful  in  the  latter,  and  only  partially  with  the 
former.  Their  dance  was  simply  a sort  of  hopping,  with 
both  feet  together. 

I could  not  but  be  struck  with  the  bright,  curious  eyes  of 
the  children  of  both  sexes,  and  wonder  if,  any  decent  sort  of 
opportunities  being  given  them,  something  of  civilization 
might  not  adhere  to  them.  The  circumstances  of  their  pres- 
ent life  seemed  so  very  hard  that  I could  not  help  thinking, 
if  an  American  were  to  take  their  place  and  conditions,  how 
many  generations  would  have  to  pass  ere  he  would  reach  their 
intellectual  level.  The  missions  which  have  been  and  are 
being  tried  fail  to  lessen  their  barbarism.  Several  of  these 
natives  have,  at  different  times,  been  taken  to  England,  edu- 
cated, and  kindly  treated.  They  have  shown  much  aptness, 
but  within  a few  weeks  of  their  restoration  to  their  native 
haunts  they  have  relapsed  into  their  primeval  savagery.  My 
experience  of  them  was  of  the  most  pleasant  and  peaceful 
character ; but  they  are  said  to  be  very  greedy  and  thievish 
— nay,  more,  brutal,  fierce,  and  quite  willing  to  shed  blood 
to  obtain  booty.  They  have  frequently  assailed,  and  several 


126  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


times  overcome,  the  crews  of  ships  passing  through  these 
channels.  As  recently  as  1862  a Boston  ship  was  attacked 
in  the  Straits  of  Magellan  by  twenty  canoes,  filled  with  armed 
Fuegians,  who  boarded  her  and  killed  eight  of  the  crew, 
though  they  were  ultimately  beaten  off  with  great  slaughter. 


CHAPTER  XY. 


THE  GLOBE’S  SOUTHERNMOST  TOWN. 

We  passed  from  Smyth’s  Channel  to  the  Strait  of  Ma- 
gellan, with  Cape  Pillar  just  discernible  about  thirty  miles  to 
the  west,  at  the  extremity  of  Desolation  Island.  The  names 
of  localities  hereabout  are  somehow  not  especially  cheerful 
or  inspiriting.  Thus,  besides  that  just  mentioned,  we  have 
Fatal  Bay,  Port  Famine,  Escape  Reach,  Last  Wreck  Point, 
Thieves’  Island,  Hope  Inlet,  Fury  Islands,  and  Dislocation 
Harbor ! It  need  scarcely  be  said  that  the  Strait  of  Ma- 
gellan, or  Magalhaens,  is  so  named  in  honor  of  its  discov- 
erer, the  famous  Portuguese  navigator,  Fernando  de  Magal- 
haens, in  1520.  His  expedition  was  thirty-seven  days  in 
passing  from  ocean  to  ocean.  How  but  two,  or  at  most  three, 
days  are  needed.  The  northern  part  of  the  strait  is  the 
country  of  the  Patagonians,  two  thirds  of  it  belonging  to 
Chili,  and  the  remaining  third  to  the  Argentine  Republic. 
The  large  island  of  Tierra  del  Fuego,  the  Land  of  Fire,  is  to 
the  south,  and  was  so  named  by  Magalhaens  from  the  great 
number  of  fires  which  he  saw  the  first  night  he  approached 
it.  The  strait  is  four  hundred  miles  in  length,  and  varies 
from  four  to  twenty  miles  in  width.  The  depth  is  usually 
great.  Sailing-vessels  rarely,  if  ever,  attempt  this  passage 
between  the  great  oceans,  on  account  of  the  baffling  winds, 
the  furious  squalls,  the  often  thick,  wet  weather,  the  strong 
currents,  and  the  harbors,  most  of  which  are  difficult  of  in- 
gress and  egress.  There  are  few  or  no  inhabitants  directly 
upon  the  strait.  Ho  quadrupeds  are  encountered,  save  the 
sea-otter,  whose  tracks  in  the  sands  and  whose  carcass  in  the 
hands  of  the  Indians  I frequently  saw.  On  the  islands  are 


128  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


ducks,  geese,  snipe,  plover,  cormorants,  penguins,  swans,  seals, 
and  sea-lions.  Humming-birds  may  sometimes  be  seen  in 
considerable  numbers  in  the  coves,  and  even  occasionally  may 
be  noticed  flying  about  near  the  foot  of  an  enormous  gla- 
cier. Upon  the  shores  are  mussels  and  limpets,  and  inland 
are  berries,  wild  celery,  evergreen  scrub,  firs,  and  the  antarctic 
beech.  In  the  waters  are  bass,  mullet,  and  very  fine  smelts 
— the  best  fish  of  the  strait. 

We  pass  Cape  Froward,  the  southernmost  point  of  the 
mainland  of  the  South  American  Continent.  Here,  at  the 
water’s  edge,  is  a dark  mass  of  rock,  about  five  hundred  feet 
in  height,  joined  by  a low  neck  of  land  to  a great  range  of 
snow-covered  hills,  averaging  about  twenty-five  hundred  feet 
in  height.  Cape  Horn  is  situated  upon  a small  island,  distant 
some  two  hundred  miles  in  a southeasterly  direction.  Cape 
Froward  is  at  about  the  middle  of  the  Strait  of  Magellan, 
and  here  the  grand  scenery  of  the  Cordilleras  of  the  western 
coast  suddenly  ceases,  the  strait  widens  to  some  twenty  miles, 
and  the  land  becomes  low  and  monotonous,  though  still  cov- 
ered with  snow.  A few  miles  to  the  eastward  of  Cape  Fro- 
ward we  pass  the  wreck  of  the  steamer  Cordillera,  of  the 
Pacific  Steam  Navigation  Company,  which  here  ran  upon  a 
reef  during  a heavy  snow-storm,  about  five  years  ago.  The 
passengers  and  crew,  taking  to  the  boats,  were  all  saved  ; but 
one  of  two  sailors  who  were  left  behind  to  take  care  of  the 
hulk  was  afterward  killed  by  the  natives,  the  other  succeed- 
ing in  making  his  escape.  If  the  weather  is  good,  steamers 
travel  all  night  in  the  strait ; but  if  it  is  bad,  they  anchor. 
Directly  south  of  Cape  Froward  we  had  a good  view  of 
Mount  Sarmiento,  seven  thousand  feet  high,  a nearly  perfect 
pyramidal  mountain,  and  perhaps  the  most  striking  one  in 
the  Magellanic  Archipelago.  It  may  be  seen  for  a hundred 
miles  in  very  clear  weather.  To  the  eastward  of  this,  and 
about  as  lofty,  is  another  famous  peak,  Mount  Darwin.  South 
of  these  mountains  runs  what  is  called  Darwin  Sound,  a 
navigable  stretch  of  water,  upon  which  there  is  an  English 
mission  station.  About  half-way  between  Cape  Froward  and 


A View  in  the  Strait  of  Magellan. 


THE  GLOBE'S  SOUTHERNMOST  TOWN. 


129 


Punta  Arenas  is  Port  Famine,  which  was  the  site  of  an  old 
Spanish  colony,  and  then  the  Chilian  penal  settlement,  which 
was  afterward  removed  to  Sandy  Point. 

Punta  Arenas,  or  Sandy  Point,  wdiere  we  anchor  and 
land  some  freight,  consisting  of  provisions,  is  a small  town 
lying  upon  a level  plain,  with  a range  of  snow-covered  hills, 
a thousand  feet  in  height,  as  a background.  It  is  not  only 
the  most  southerly  town  of  South  America,  but  of  the  world. 
The  most  northerly  is  Hammerfest,  in  Norway,  which  I had 
already  visited.  In  the  roadstead  were  small  Argentine  and 
Chilian  gunboats,  a coal-barge,  an  English  dispatch-boat,  and 
a small  English  ship.  Punta  Arenas  is  mostly  of  one-story 
houses,  built  without  regularity.  Adjoining  it  are  mossy 
fields  and  low  hills  covered  with  burned  timber.  Directly 
opposite  Sandy  Point,  across  the  strait,  is  the  great  island  of 
Tierra  del  Fuego,  two  thirds  of  which  (the  western)  belong 
to  Chili  and  the  remainder  to  the  Argentine  Pepublic. 
Punta  Arenas  was  originally  founded  in  1813,  and,  as  above 
stated,  was  kept  only  as  a penal  settlement,  and  began  to  de- 
cline on  this  account,  but  in  consecpience  of  the  rapid  in- 
crease of  traffic  through  the  strait,  the  mail-steamers  plying 
between  Europe  and  the  west  coast  of  South  America  having 
adopted  this  route,  the  Chilian  Government,  seeing  its  grow- 
ing importance  as  a station  of  call  and  supply,  in  1868  made 
grants  of  land  to  immigrants,  and  sent  out  some  three  hun- 
dred settlers,  together  with  a governor.  Wood  for  building 
purposes  was  taken,  and  supplies  to  last  until  the  immigrants 
could  clear  and  cultivate  their  own  lots.  Convicts  are  sent 
no  longer.  There  used  to  be  a military  guard,  but  that  was 
withdrawn  during  the  war  with  Peru,  and  all  the  prisoners 
who  would  consent  to  enter  the  army  got  a ticket- of-leave. 
The  population  of  the  colony  in  1868  was  two  hundred ; in 
1888  it  was  about  two  thousand.  Gold  and  silver  are  found 
in  the  neighborhood  and  are  exported,  though  coal  is  the 
chief  industry.  The  mines  are  worked  by  a company,  who 
pay  a very  small  tax  to  the  Chilian  Government  for  the 
privilege.  The  consumption  of  this  coal  is  constantly  on 
9 


130  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMEBIC  A. 


the  increase.  It  is  a good  “ steam  ” coal,  and  is  found  with- 
in five  miles  of  the  town,  to  which  it  is  brought  on  a tram- 
way. Steamers  which  formerly  had  to  go  to  the  Falkland 
Islands,  a distance  of  nearly  five  hundred  miles,  now  get 
their  supplies  at  Punta  Arenas.  Cattle  and  vegetables  thrive 
well  here,  notwithstanding  the  high  latitude.  At  varying 
seasons  are  to  be  found  parrots,  snipe,  ducks,  geese,  wood- 
peckers, a species  of  ibis,  and  some  other  small  birds.  Very 
good  mushrooms  are  obtained  in  great  quantities. 

The  town  is  interesting  because  it  is  the  largest  settle- 
ment in  southern  Chili  and  the  only  one  in  the  strait.  It 
is  about  four  thousand  miles  from  the  southernmost  town  on 
the  west  coast  to  the  first  port  on  the  eastern  side,  a voyage 
which  ordinarily  requires  fifteen  or  sixteen  days;  and  as 
Punta  Arenas  is  about  in  the  middle  of  the  way,  it  possesses 
special  attraction.  Its  population  represents  all  sorts  and 
conditions  of  men,  from  the  primeval  type  to  the  pure  Cau- 
casian— ex-convicts,  fugitives,  wrecked  seamen,  deserters 
from  all  the  navies  in  the  world,  Chinamen,  negroes,  Poles, 
Italians,  Sandwich-Islanders,  Portuguese,  wandering  Jews, 
and  human  driftwood  of  every  tongue  and  clime,  cast  up  by 
the  sea,  and  absorbed  in  a community  scarcely  one  of  whom 
would  be  willing  to  tell  why  he  came  here,  nor  willing  to 
stay  if  he  could  get  away.  It  is  said  that  in  Punta  Arenas 
can  be  found  an  interpreter  for  every  language  known  to  the 
modern  world ; but,  although  the  place  belongs  to  Chili, 
English  is  generally  spoken.  Here  are  to  be  purchased  many 
interesting  relics,  Indian  trifles,  shells  and  flying-fish,  tusks  of 
sea-lions,  serpent-skins,  agates  from  Cape  Horn,  turtle-shells, 
the  curious  tails  of  the  armadillo,  in  wdfich  the  Patagonians 
carry  their  war-paint,  and  the  skins  of  the  guanaco,  ostrich, 
and  seal.  Undoubtedly  the  prettiest  things  are  the  ostrich 
rugs,  made  of  the  breasts  of  the  young  birds,  as  soft  as  down, 
and  as  beautiful  as  plumage  can  be.  The  plumes  of  the 
ostrich  are  plucked  from  the  wings  and  tail  while  the  bird  is 
alive,  but  to  make  a rug  the  little  ones  are  killed  and  skinned 
and  the  soft,  fluffy  breasts  are  sewed  together  until  they  reach 


THE  GLOBE'S  SOUTHERNMOST  TOWN.  131 

the  size  of  a blanket.  Those  of  brown  and  those  of  the 
purest  white  are  alternate  in  the  same  rug,  and  produce  a 
line  artistic  effect.  They  are  too  dainty  and  beautiful  to  be 
spread  upon  the  floor,  but  can  be  used  as  carriage-robes,  or 
to  throw  over  the  back  of  a couch  or  chair.  Sometimes 
ladies  use  them  as  panels  for  the  front  of  dress  skirts.  Thus 
applied  they  are  more  striking  than  any  fabric  a loom  can 
produce.  Opera-cloaks  have  also  been  made  of  them,  to  the 
gratification  of  the  aesthetic.  They  are  too  rare  to  be  com- 
mon, and  too  beautiful  ever  to  tire  the  eye. 

A very  great  contrast  exists  between  the  western  and 
eastern  half  of  the  Strait  of  Magellan.  In  the  former  we 
had  majestic  snow  mountains,  glaciers,  giant  hills  of  purple 
rock,  black  water,  and  cloudy  and  blustery  weather ; but  on 
rounding  Cape  Froward  the  scene  changes  as  by  magic.  The 
hills  melt  away  to  nothing — Tierra  del  Fuego  is  so  low  as 
scarcely  to  be  seen — low  ranges  of  grassy  uplands  diversify 
the  interior,  and  between  them  and  the  channel  are  shingly, 
treeless  plains.  The  water  becomes  a beautiful  bright  green, 
the  heavens  clear,  and  the  bright  sun  once  again  gives  us 
light  and  heat  and  joy.  The  width  at  the  western  entrance 
of  the  strait,  from  Cape  Pillar  to  the  opposite  island,  is  ten 
miles,  while  the  Atlantic  entrance  is  twenty  miles  across. 
As  we  passed  Cape  Yirgins,  a bluff  on  the  northern  point 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  high— the  southern  point 
lies  so  low  it  can  be  seen  only  on  especially  clear  days — the 
great  golden  globe  of  the  full  moon  floated  up  from  a cloud- 
less horizon,  Yenus  sparkled  behind  us,  and  the  gorgeous 
Southern  Cross  above,  the  wind  freshened  to  half  a gale,  great 
white  caps  illumined  the  wave-crests,  the  air  became  crisp  and 
bracing,  the  dark,  thin  line  of  coast  fast  faded  away,  and  we 
entered  upon  the  broad  bosom  of  the  Atlantic  and  headed 
toward  the  east  and  our  next  haven  in  the  Falkland  Islands. 

The  Island  of  Tierra  del  Fuego,  which  I was  so  rapidly 
leaving,  is  by  no  means  the  region  of  perpetual  snow  that  it 
has  been  supposed  to  be.  It  abounds  with  beautiful  scenery 
— rich  valleys,  plains  of  grass,  mountains,  lakes,  rivers — con- 


132  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


tains  great  quantities  of  gold,  and  has  a climate  less  rigorous 
than  that  of  Canada.  The  inhabitants,  however,  are  the 
most  barbarous  of  savages.  They  are  of  two  distinct  classes, 
the  Yahgans,  or  southern  tribes,  and  the  On  as,  who  inhabit 
the  northern  part  of  the  island.  The  Yahgans  are  not  can- 
nibals, as  has  been  believed,  and  they  do  not  eat  meat  which 
is  not  cooked.  They  are  chiefly  Ashers  and  hunters,  and  the 
women  are  the  best  of  swimmers.  The  women  have  the 
right  to  sell  all  the  flsh  they  catch  beyond  those  required  for 
the  family,  and  are  said  to  be  good  cooks,  though  they  never 
knew  anything  about  boiling  their  food  until  lately,  and  had 
no  vessels  in  which  they  could  do  so.  They  do  not  inter- 
marry with  blood  relatives,  and  the  men  have  one,  two,  or 
three  wives,  according  to  circumstances.  They  are  great 
quarrelers  among  themselves,  and  are  both  crafty  and  treach- 
erous. Having  no  fixed  principles,  they  are  governed  en- 
tirely by  their  desires  and  passions.  Tattooing  is  unknown, 
but  the  girls  paint  their  faces  for  fashion  and  the  men  for 
mourning.  They  are  fond  of  each  other’s  company,  and, 
sitting  around  the  fires  of  their  huts  or  wigwams,  they  are 
very  jovial  over  their  meals.  When  they  have  satisfied  their 
hunger  in  the  amplest  manner — for  they  generally  have  an 
abundance  of  food — they  indulge  in  the  most  animated  con- 
versation and  in  the  most  extravagant  demonstrations  of  joy. 
Their  laughter  is  natural  and  hearty,  but  it  is  sometimes  so 
excessive  and  boisterous  as  to  drive  a serious  person  quite 
frantic.  These  Indians  are  not  nearly  so  fine  looking  as  the 
Onas,  who  are  tall  and  muscular,  with  broad  shoulders  and 
well-developed  chests.  Their  height  is  often  over  six  feet. 
The  face  is  oval  shaped,  the  forehead  narrow,  the  eyebrows 
slightly  arched,  and  the  cheek-bones  prominent.  They  have 
small  mouths,  yellow  teeth,  and  aquiline  noses.  Their  beard 
is  very  scanty  ; their  dark,  lusterless,  woolly  hair  falls  in  tufts 
around  a large  tonsure  clipped  close  on  the  top  of  the  head. 
Their  skin  is  of  a clear  copper  color,  and  it  is  soft  and  oily 
to  the  touch.  The  men  do  the  hunting,  while  the  women 
do  the  heavy  work  and  carry  the  burdens. 


THE  GLOBE'S  SOUTHERNMOST  TOWN 


133 


The  Falldands  are  distant  about  three  hundred  miles  in 
an  easterly  direction  from  Magellan  Strait,  but  we  shall 
have  to  steam  four  hundred  miles  passing  around  their  south- 
ern and  eastern  sides  to  Port  William  and  Stanley,  the  seat 
of  government  and  largest  settlement  upon  the  islands.  The 
voyage  of  the  German  steamers  from  Montevideo  to  Val- 
paraiso is  sixteen  dajTs,  and  from  Valparaiso  to  Montevideo 
eighteen  days.  The  difference  in  time  is  due  chiefly  to  the 
fact  that  in  coming  out  from  Europe  the  steamers  are  apt  to 
have  less  freight,  and  therefore  do  not  need  to  call  so  often  or 
stay  so  long  for  coals.  There  are  twelve  steamers  a year,  or 
one  a month,  which  call  at  the  Falkland  Islands — half  of  these 
stopping  on  the  outward  voyage  and  half  on  the  homeward. 
To  visit  the  Falklands  generally  adds  from  two  to  three  days  to 
the  length  of  the  voyage.  The  Bosmos,  which  has  a subven- 
tion from  the  British  Government  for  carrying  the  mail,  is 
the  only  line  of  steamers  of  any  nationality  running  regularly 
to  this  group.  Our  high  southwesterly  winds  continued,  with 
bright,  cold  weather,  and  with  nights  the  stellar  glories  of 
which  no  pencil  could  portray.  Our  steamer  was  followed  by 
many  cape  pigeons,  a few  ducks,  and  still  fewer  albatrosses. 

Late  in  the  evening  of  the  second  day  after  leaving  Punta 
Arenas  we  sighted  the  Falklands,  and  in  the  morning  saw 
plainly,  in  the  middle  of  the  eastern  island  (there  being  two 
large  islands  and  many  smaller  ones),  a range  of  hills  about 
two  thousand  feet  high,  running  east  and  west,  and  covered 
with  snow.  The  land  adjoining  the  coast  was  covered  with 
brownish  grass,  but  no  trees  or  even  scrub  were  in  sight. 
The  aspect  was  of  low,  smoothly  undulating  hills.  Passing 
'Wolf  Bock,  upon  which  the  waves  dashed  their  spray  fully 
thirty  feet  in  the  air,  we  soon  rounded  Cape  Pembroke,  a 
flat,  sandy  peninsula,  upon  which  stands  a lighthouse  over 
a hundred  feet  in  height,  and  then  entered  Port  William,  a 
long,  narrow  bay  with  a low  bluff  to  the  north,  and  a num- 
ber of  small  islands  covered  with  coarse  grass  to  the  south, 
the  mainland  here  being  heaped  with  drift-sand  and  looking 
as  arid  and  yellow  as  an  African  desert.  Bear  where  the 


134:  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMEBIC  A. 


bight  closes  we  turn  abruptly  to  the  left  and  pass,  through 
a narrow  channel,  between  two  sharp  and  low  headlands, 
directly  into  Stanley  Harbor.  The  opening  is  but  six  hun- 
dred feet  wide  (the  same  width  as  the  English  Harrows),  and 
with  a depth  of  only  thirty-live  feet.  Stanley’s  may  there- 
fore be  classed  among  the  most  completely  landlocked  har- 
bors in  the  world.  It  is  three  miles  in  length,  and  about 
half  a mile  in  breadth.  I found  in  the  harbor  three  or  four 
decayed  and  dismantled  ships ; a huge,  old-fashioned  hulk 
which  contained  our  proposed  freight  of  wool,  tallow,  and 
sheep-skins ; a small  German  steamer  of  the  same  company  as 
our  own,  and  employed  as  a sort  of  tender ; and  a little  brig 
which  is  used  by  the  different  sheep-farmers  of  the  islands 
to  take  their  produce  to  Stanley,  whence  it  is  shipped  to 
Europe.  A long,  low  range  of  grass  and  peat  covered  hills 
extends,  with  a gentle  slope,  to  the  water  along  the  southern 
side  of  the  harbor,  and  here  lies  Stanley,  the  monotonous 
gray  and  brown  of  its  houses  hardly  discernible  from  the 
great,  bare  rocks.  Scarcely  a tree  or  bush  of  any  sort  is  in 
view.  Directly  opposite  the  entrance  of  the  harbor  lies  the 
cemetery,  a large  plot  tilled  with  simple  head-stones  and  black 
or  white  wooden  crosses.  The  town  consists  mostly  of  two 
long,  macadamized  streets,  running  parallel  with  the  harbor. 
There  are  several  large  warehouses  for  storing  wool,  tallow, 
and  sheep-skins,  but  only  a few  anyway  striking  buildings. 
One  is  of  cut  brownstone,  with  a lofty  central  clock-tower, 
containing  in  one  wing  the  church  and  in  the  other  the 
school ; another  is  a square,  two-story  brick  edifice,  the  dwell- 
ing of  the  director  of  the  Falkland  Islands  Sheep  Farming 
Company.  The  residence  of  the  English  governor  is  at  the 
western  extremity  of  the  town,  a picturesque  country-seat  of 
gray  stone.  The  greater  part  of  the  settlement  consists  of 
simple,  one  or  two  story  wooden  houses,  having  roofs  of  gal- 
vanized iron.  Piercing  all  these  roofs  are  chimneys,  whence 
the  smoke  of  peat  or  coal  issues  throughout  the  year,  so  bleak 
is  the  climate.  A few  greenhouses  and  attempts  at  gardens 
are  seen,  but  hardly  anything  can  be  made  to  grow  out-of- 


THE  GLOBE'S  SOUTHERNMOST  TOWN. 


135* 


doors.  The  only  available  meat  the  citizens  can  have  is 
mutton,  which,  however,  is  second  only  to  Southdown,  all 
other  meats  and  provisions  being  brought  from  either  South 
America  or  Europe.  Wild  fowl  and  tish  are  very  abundant. 

The  decidedly  English  expression  of  the  town  is  greatly 
heightened  upon  going  on  shore,  where  I land  upon  a small 
jetty,  at  whose  extremity  stands  a pyramidal  brick  and  stone 
monument,  bearing  on  a tablet  the  rather  inexpressive  com- 
munication, “ Alfred,  24th  February,  1874.”  Knowing  that 
many  nations  had  at  different  times  claimed  possession  of 
these  islands,  and  that  several  conflicts  had  resulted,  it  was 
but  natural  to  suppose  that  this  proud  pile  distinguished  the 
spot  where  some  British  Horatius  Coccles  had  single-handed 
repelled  the  landing  cutters  of  several  French  or  Spanish 
men-of-war,  and  that  his  appreciative  countrymen  had  thus 
familiarly  and  affectionately,  not  to  say  touchingly,  made  the 
fact  known  to  such  of  the  great  world  as  might  by  accident 
stray  thither.  The  idea  greatly  pleased  me — for  have  not 
both  ancients  and  moderns  always  thus  honored  true  valor? 
— and  I walked  up  the  pier,  eager  to  know  more  of  this 
noble  hero  called  Alfred.  The  charming  simplicity  of  the 
sweetly  pretty  name,  Alfred,  as  well  as  the  mystery  of  the 
pregnant  date,  fired  me  with  ardent  curiosity.  I did  not 
remember  where  Alfred  the  Great  was  buried,  but  I felt 
almost  sure  that  he  had  been  dead  more  than  eleven  years. 
The  very  first  citizen  I met  I begged  to  tell  me  more  of  this 
brave,  this  doughty  Alfred,  apologizing  of  course  for  a mem- 
ory defective  in  matters  of  historical  detail.  And  my  blood 
almost  congealed  within  my  veins,  and  my  heart  stood  still 
with  awe,  as  I learned  that  here — here  on  this  very  spot — a 
“real  live  ” English  prince  had  once  set  his  holy  foot,  on  com- 
ing ashore  to  pay  a visit  to  the  governor ! First  and  last,  he 
had  placed  the  aforesaid  sacred  member  upon  many  wharves, 
but  not  I believe  everywhere  had  imposing  monuments  of 
brick  and  stone  been  reared  in  reverence.  My  informer 
stood  solemn  and  serious,  but  there  is  no  use  in  denying  that 
I was  profligate  enough  to  laugh. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


THE  FORLORN  FALKLANDS. 

Other  evidences  of  a British,  population  were  furnished 
in  such  titles  of  public-houses  as  the  “ Stanley  Arms,”  the 
u Globe  Tavern,”  “ Rose  Hotel,”  and  the  u Ship  Hotel.” 
One  house  bore  an  elaborate  sign,  which  informed  the  passer- 
by that  it  contained  a “ Millinery,  Drapery,  and  Haberdash- 
ery Store.”  TJpon  another  the  sign,  in  very  large  letters, 
“ Store,”  was  thought  by  the  proprietor  sufficiently  express- 
ive ; and  in  this  part  of  the  world  it  is,  for  a “ store  ” con- 
tains goods  of  every  kind,  from  boots  to  potatoes,  from  jew- 
elry to  crockery.  In  Stanley  reside  a dozen  consuls  and 
vice-consuls,  their  offices  being  indicated  by  the  coats-of-arms 
of  their  respective  nations,  excepting  in  the  few  cases  where 
the  same  person  represents  three  or  four  foreign  countries. 
This  arrangement  would,  I should  imagine,  give  rise  to  amus- 
ing complications  in  the  event  of  war  breaking  out  between 
any  of  those  powers.  The  strong  armament  of  Stanley  con- 
sists of  a battery  of  four  nine-pounders  near  the  water’s  edge, 
about  the  center  of  the  town,  and  another,  of  the  same  profu- 
sion and  enormous  caliber,  adjoining  the  governor’s  house. 
Here  also,  at  this  high  official’s  gate,  stands  a sentry-box  in 
true  St.  James  Palace  style.  Of  course  it  is  generally  un- 
occupied, but  the  feeling  of  perfect  security  which  it  must 
impart  to  the  representative  of  her  Gracious  Majesty,  and 
the  sense  of  state  and  power  which  it  does  convey  to  the 
republican  traveler,  who  can  estimate  ? It  seemed  altogether 
a ht  counterpart  to  the  grave  of  King  Alfred,  at  the  opposite 
extremity  of  the  town.  The  governor  is  elected  for  six  years, 
as  well  as  two  other  of  the  principal  officers,  but  the  majority 
of  the  governmental  staff  are  sent  out  from  England  for  no 


THE  FORLORN  FALKLAND, S. 


137 


specified  time.  The  total  population  of  the  islands  is  about 
two  thousand,  there  being  two  or  three  little  villages  besides 
Stanley,  and  the  remainder  of  the  inhabitants  dwelling 
mostly  upon  wddely  separated  sheep-runs.  The  islands  are 
roadless,  but  contain  a number  of  horse-trails,  and  these  form 
the  popular  means  of  travel  for  the  sheep-farmers,  though 
when  convenient,  and  especially  for  short  distances,  the  sea, 
with  small  sail  or  whale  boats,  gives  passage.  For  crossing 
Falmouth  Sound,  between  the  two  large  islands,  the  brig 
which  carries  the  produce,  or  a large  steam-launch,  must  be 
used.  The  weather  is  almost  continually  bad  throughout  the 
year — it  is  the  exception  when  a gale  of  wind  is  not  blowing 
— but,  nevertheless,  Stanley  is  regarded  as  a healthy  town ; 
and,  moreover,  rainy  and  windy  weather,  with  an  occasionally 
clear  sky,  is  amusingly  termed  by  the  residents  a “ good  ” day. 
We  arrived  too  late  on  Saturday  to  take  on  board  our  freight 
of  three  hundred  and  sixty  bales  of  wool,  one  hundred  casks 
of  tallow,  and  twenty  bales  of  sheep-skins,  and  the  following 
day  being  Sunday,  on  which  the  English  neither  do  any  manner 
of  work  nor  permit  any  to  be  done,  we  were  obliged  to  remain 
quiet,  tied  up  to  the  company’s  shipping  hulk.  The  English, 
I believe,  are  the  only  nation  in  the  world  who  hold  such  pecul- 
iar and  utterly  inconsistent  views  regarding  Sunday,  but  in 
our  case  it  was  a very  stormy  day,  and  so  we  made  ourselves 
as  contented  as  possible  in  our  snug  little  saloon,  with  a good 
library  of  German  classics.  From  a gentleman  who  has  re- 
sided in  Stanley  for  thirty  years,  and  who  called  on  board,  I 
gathered  many  interesting  facts  which  are  not  widely  known. 

The  Falkland  group  embraces  two  principal  islands,  sep- 
arated by  a strait  varying  in  breadth  from  two  to  twenty 
miles,  and  about  two  hundred  smaller  islands  clustered  around 
them,  and  in  the  strait  between  them.  The  eastern  island 
is  about  one  hundred  miles  long,  and  half  as  broad ; the  west- 
ern is  considerably  smaller.  The  whole  group  is  deeply  and 
variously  indented  by  sounds,  bays,  harbors,  creeks,  and  inlets. 
Probably  there  is  no  part  of  the  world  where  so  many  good 
harbors  exist.  The  southern  portions  of  the  east  Falkland 


138  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


are,  as  I have  already  indicated,  so  low  that  they  are  hardly 
perceptible  from  the  deck  of  a steamer  at  a distance  of  five 
miles;  hut  the  western  island  is  more  diversified,  there  being 
a number  of  hills  rising  to  a height  of  between  one  thousand 
and  twenty-five  hundred  feet  above  sea-level.  There  are  but 
few  rivers  in  the  Falklands,  the  San  Carlos  in  the  eastern  isl- 
and being  the  largest,  about  thirty  miles  long,  but  not  navi- 
gable. No  trees  shade  the  islands,  and  the  sole  shrub  is  a tea- 
plant.  The  nearest  approach  to  a tree  is  a sort  of  box,  which 
grows  to  the  height  of  three  feet.  Probably  trees  would  grow, 
if  planted  and  cultivated,  and  if  gales  did  not  so  eternally 
prevail.  The  temperature  is  equable,  but  the  average  is  natu- 
rally very  low.  Celery  grows  in  wild  luxuriance.  There  is 
a large,  round,  green  plant  (found  in  Patagonia  also),  which, 
when  dried,  makes  a capital  kindling.  It  also  exudes  a kind 
of  gum  which  is  used  as  a curative.  But  the  most  remark- 
able plant  that  grows  upon  the  Falklands  is  a gigantic  sedgy 
grass  called  tussock.  The  length  of  the  stalk  is  about  six  feet, 
and  of  the  blade  seven  feet.  The  plants  grow  in  dense  tufts, 
and  as  many  as  two  hundred  and  fifty  roots  spring  from  one 
tuft.  Cattle  and  horses  feed  on  it  with  avidity,  and  speedily 
become  fat.  The  prairies  are  mostly  of  bog,  covered  with 
these  heavy  bunches  of  grass,  and  the  islands  are  undoubtedly 
the  best  adapted  for  sheep-grazing.  The  sheep  have  no  ene- 
mies to  contend  against,  and  so  thrive  and  multiply.  Espe- 
cially do  those  of  European  breeds  flourish.  Cheviot  sheep 
have  been  introduced,  and  yield  as  many  as  twelve  pounds  of 
fleece.  Scattered  over  the  two  large  islands  are  many  small 
fresh- water  lakes  and  innumerable  springs.  This  of  course  is 
of  the  greatest  importance  in  the  raising  of  cattle.  The  best 
ground  for  cultivation  extends  in  plains  from  five  to  twenty 
miles  along  the  margin  of  the  sea,  though  it  is  only  here  and 
there,  in  sheltered  nooks,  that  grain  can  be  ripened,  or  Euro- 
pean vegetables  or  flowers  brought  to  any  degree  of  perfection. 

Though  by  geographical  position  of  the  greatest  impor- 
tance to  the  mercantile  world,  these  islands  were  but  little 
regarded  up  to  1845.  This  seems  strange,  for  their  numer- 


THE  FORLORN  FALKLAND S. 


139 


ous  and  splendid  harbors  afford  protection  to  all  sorts  of 
shipping,  and  give  opportunity  for  the  repairing  of  injuries 
sustained  by  vessels  passing  in  the  vicinity  of  Cape  Horn, 
where  a larger  amount  of  annual  injury  is  done  by  severe 
weather  than  in  any  other  locality.  In  1815  an  English- 
man named  Lafone,  who  had  been  engaged  in  the  hide 
and  cattle  trade  on  the  Eiver  Plate,  entered  into  negotia- 
tions with  the  English  Government  for  a contract  to  pur- 
chase the  southern  part  of  the  large  eastern  island,  and  several 
of  the  small  adjacent  islands,  upon  the  payment  of  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars  at  the  time  of  the  contract  and  one  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars  in  the  year  1862.  In  1851  a company  was  formed 
in  London  to  carry  out  more  fully  the  scheme  of  turning  the 
advantages  of  the  islands  and  their  herds  of  wild  cattle  to 
greater  account.  It  was  incorporated  by  royal  charter,  and 
purchased  Mr.  Lafone’s  interest  for  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars.  This  large  grazing  undertaking  necessi- 
tated the  establishment  of  stores  and  artificers  at  Stanley, 
where  the  settlement  has  been  so  constantly  improving,  that 
at  this  time  ships  can  be  provisioned  and  provided  in  every 
way  as  cheap  as  at  any  of  the  ports  in  South  America.  In 
1869  the  whole  of  the  available  land  for  grazing  had  passed 
into  the  hands  of  private  individuals,  with  the  exception  of 
some  portions  of  East  Falkland.  The  company’s  headquar- 
ters are  at  Stanley,  though  their  operations  are  naturally  con- 
ducted in  different  portions  of  their  domain.  These  islands 
have  no  native  inhabitants.  The  title  to  their  sovereignty 
(which  is  now  vested  in  the  British  crown)  has  been  subject 
to  much  dispute,  and  their  history  is  romantically  interesting. 
The  Falklands  were  discovered  in  1592  by  John  Davis,  who 
sailed  with  Cavendish  on  his  second  voyage,  but  separated 
from  him  two  months  later.  In  1764  the  Frenchman,  De 
Bougainville,  arrived  with  an  armament  and  settlers,  and  es- 
tablished them  at  Port  Louis,  a little  to  the  north  of  Stanley. 
In  1765  the  group  was  taken  possession  of,  for  England,  by 
Commodore  Byron,  and  an  officer  was  sent  out  to  begin  their 
colonization.  lie  commenced  operations  at  Port  Egmont,  on 


140  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


the  northern  shore  of  the  west  island.  In  1170  a Spanish 
armament  attacked  the  British  colony,  and  obliged  it  to  sur- 
render, but  four  years  later  Spain  withdrew  from  the  islands, 
and,  as  the  French  had  previously  decamped,  left  them  quite 
uninhabited.  The  Falklands  then  remained  unclaimed  for 
nearly  half  a century,  when  they  were  formally  taken  pos- 
session of  in  the  name  and  by  the  authority  of  the  Argentine 
Republic.  In  1833  Great  Britian  reasserted  her  sovereignty 
by  sending  a man-of-war  to  hoist  the  British  flag  in  Port 
Louis.  In  the  following  year  she  appointed  a governor,  and 
sent  out  a small  party  as  the  nucleus  of  a future  colony. 

The  day  on  which  the  steamer  was  loading,  the  captain, 
the  chief-engineer,  and  myself  spent  in  shooting  over  the 
moors  and  along  the  rocky  shores  of  the  ocean  to  the  south 
of  Stanley.  We  found  a great  quantity  of  wild  fowl — snipe, 
ducks,  geese,  penguins,  and  gulls — and  we  made  a fabulous 
bag.  The  eggs  of  the  penguin  are  esteemed  a luxury.  The 
oil  is  also  exported,  and  is  but  little  inferior  to  seal-oil.  No 
wild  animals  of  any  kind  are  found  save  rabbits  and  rats. 

We  left  Stanley  for  Montevideo  in  a storm  of  wind  and 
rain,  so  characteristic  of  this  bleak,  outlying  station.  Pass- 
ing Port  William,  we  headed  almost  directly  due  north  for 
our  destination,  twelve  hundred  miles  distant,  with  a strong 
favorable  breeze  on  the  quarter.  Ours  was  a lonely  track. 
Steamers  bound  for  the  Strait  of  Magellan  pass  between  us 
and  the  continent,  while  sailing-ships  bound  around  Cape 
Horn  mostly  pass  to  the  eastward  of  our  route.  Upon  the 
mainland  of  South  America  was  Patagonia,  a country  a 
thousand  miles  in  length,  the  Andes  forming  its  western  and 
the  Atlantic  its  eastern  border.  It  belongs  to  the  Argentine 
Republic,  and  the  chief  town  is  Chupat,  with  a population  of 
some  two  hundred  souls.  Patagonia  is  not  the  dreary  and 
wholly  barren  country  it  was  once  supposed  to  be.  The  sur- 
face is  a series  of  enormous  terraces,  stretching  back  to  the 
Andes,  and  though  the  aspect  of  the  open  country  is  rather 
desolate,  the  valleys  are  covered  with  rich  vegetation  and 
many  lakes  and  streams  of  clear  water  appear.  Along  the 


and  their  Tent. 


141 


THE  FORLORN  FA L ELANDS. 

Rio  Hegro,  wheat,  maize,  and  pnlse  are  cultivated.  The 
estimated  Indian  population  is  twenty -live  thousand.  These 
people  are  tall  and  straight,  with  a reddish-brown  complexion. 
They  were  named  Patagonians  by  Magellan,  on  account  of 
the  supposed  magnitude  of  their  feet  —jpatagon,  in  Spanish, 
signifying  u large  foot.”  Later  travelers,  however,  have  not 
observed  that  their  feet  were  out  of  proportion  to  their  large 
stature.  They  wander  all  over  the  country,  subsisting  upon 
wild  animals,  fish,  and  mushrooms.  The  Fuegians  differ 
from  the  Patagonians  in  very  many  characteristics,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  great  physical  and  moral  differences.  The 
Patagonians  are  greatly  addicted  to  drink,  whereas  the  Fue- 
gians can  seldom  be  induced  to  do  more  than  taste  any  beer, 
wine,  or  spirits.  The  Indians  of  the  western  archipelagoes 
appear  to  live  mostly  in  their  canoes,  and  to  depend  upon 
fishing  and  shell-fish  for  a subsistence.  The  Indians  of 
Patagonia  five  mostly  at  some  distance  inland,  and  depend 
upon  hunting  for  their  living.  Such  clothing  as  they  wear 
is  generally  of  deer-skin,  while  the  Fuegian  is  better  clad 
with  seal-skin.  In  Patagonia  guanacos,  pumas,  and  foxes 
abound,  as  do  condors,  hawks,  and  ostriches.  Fish  are  also 
plentiful  along  the  coasts  and  rivers.  The  guanaco  is  a 
species  of  llama,  killed  with  poisoned  arrows,  and  fine  skins 
may  be  bought  in  Punta  Arenas.  In  Patagonia  ostriches 
are  not  bred,  as  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  but  run  wild, 
and  are  rapidly  becoming  exterminated.  It  is  not  the  genuine 
ostrich,  but  the  rhea,  an  allied  species,  which  is  large,  of  gray 
color,  and  remarkable  for  its  swiftness  in  running.  The 
Indians  chase  them  on  horseback  and  catch  them  with  bolas, 
two  heavy  balls  upon  the  ends  of  a rope.  Grasping  one  ball 
in  the  hand  they  gallop  after  the  ostrich,  and,  whirling  the 
other  ball  around  their  heads  like  a coil  of  lasso,  they  let  go 
when  near  enough  to  the  bird  ; and  the  two  balls,  still  re- 
volving in  the  air,  will,  if  skillfully  directed,  wind  around 
the  long  legs  of  the  rhea  and  send  him  turning  somersaults 
upon  the  pampa.  The  Indians  then  leap  from  the  saddle, 
and,  if  they  are  out  of  meat,  cut  the  throat  of  the  bird  and 


142  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

carry  the  carcass  to  camp ; but  if  they  have  no  need  of  food, 
they  pull  the  long  plnmes  from  his  tail  and  wings,  and  let 
him  go  again  to  gather  fresh  plumage  for  the  next  season. 
At  any  of  the  trading-posts  of  Patagonia  you  can  buy  for  six 
or  eight  dollars  a rug  that  represents  the  breasts  of  twelve  or 
fifteen  young  ostriches,  and  even  that  low  price  gives  the 
trader  a profit  of  many  hundred  per  cent,  as  a few  drinks  of 
whisky  makes  the  Indian  susceptible  to  persuasion.  If  the 
Government  of  the  Argentine  Republic  wTere  to  sell  the  mo- 
nopoly of  trading  in  ostrich- feathers  to  a few  fair-minded  men, 
the  birds  would  multiply  enormously,  and  the  beauty  of  their 
plumage  be  very  much  increased.  The  best  plumes  are  worth 
forty  or  fifty  dollars  a pound  in  the  market,  and  are  much  im- 
proved by  the  proper  care  of  the  bird.  The  pumas  are  of  a 
brownish-yellow  color,  without  spots,  and  next  to  the  jaguar 
in  size  and  fierceness.  The  condors,  wrhich  are  a species  of 
vulture  and  the  largest  known  bird  of  prey,  occasionally 
measure  as  much  as  fourteen  feet  from  tip  to  tip  of  wing. 

Increased  attention  is  now  being  paid  by  the  Argentines 
to  their  great  southern  territory.  Up  to  the  present  all  the 
credit,  capital,  and  enterprise  of  their  Government  have  been 
directed  to  the  central  and  northern  parts ; but  people  are 
beginning  to  see  that  the  great  development  of  the  future 
must  be  sought  in  the  southern  section.  The  day  when  im- 
migration and  money  seek  new  fields  in  the  great  Patagonian 
pampas,  in  the  valleys  of  the  Rio  Regro  and  Rio  Colorado, 
at  the  foot  of  the  Andes  and  on  the  shores  of  the  South 
Atlantic,  railroads  will  stretch  from  ocean  to  ocean,  and  set- 
tlers from  Europe  will  fill  the  plains  and  start  a country  that 
will  eclipse  in  growth  what  we  have  seen  in  the  center  and 
north.  There  are  already  several  schemes  on  foot  to  open 
the  south.  The  transcendent  scheme  at  present  in  favor  is 
the  railroad  from  Bahia  Blanca  to  San  Luis ; that  will  be 
followed  by  railroads  up  the  Colorado,  Rio  ISTegro,  and  Chu- 
pat  Yalleys,  comprising  an  immense  region  that  needs  only' 
the  hand  of  man  and  the  lever  of  money  to  become  popu- 
lous, prosperous,  and  productive. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


MONTEVIDEO — THE  ATTRACTIVE. 

Still  apparently  on  the  ocean,  we  passed  the  month  of 
the  great  River  Plate,  here  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles 
in  width,  but  with  no  greater  average  depth  than  fifty  feet. 
It  is  almost  unnecessary  to  say  that  the  Rio  de  la  Piata,  or 
rather  the  Parana — for  the  name  Rio  de  la  Plata  properly 
belongs  to  its  broad  estuary  only — is  one  of  the  largest  rivers 
in  South  America,  after  the  Amazon.  It  received  its  name, 
“ river  of  silver,”  from  Sebastian  Cabot — who  visited  here- 
about in  1520 — not  because  of  the  color  of  the  water,  but 
because  of  his  having  taken  from  the  Indians  great  treasures 
of  silver,  and  supposing  that  an  abundance  remained  in  the 
soil.  The  Plata  continues  fresh  until  only  twelve  miles 
above  Montevideo,  when  it  becomes  somewhat  brackish, 
though  it  is  so  long  in  fully  mingling  with  the  sea  that  the 
dark,  yellow  water  which  it  brings  down  is  often  visible  in 
the  Atlantic  for  a distance  of  one  hundred  miles  from  its 
embouchure.  The  estuary  of  the  River  Plate,  besides  being 
comparatively  shallow,  has  many  shoals  and  rocks,  the  navi- 
gation generally  extending  along  the  northern  and  southern 
shores.  We  have  to  pass  across  the  entire  mouth,  in  a north- 
easterly direction,  and  then  turn  nearly  due  west  toward 
Montevideo.  Between  this  city  and  the  opposite  shore  the 
river  has  narrowed  less  than  one  half — that  is,  from  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  miles  to  fifty-two.  After  a very  interesting 
voyage  of  twenty  days  from  Valparaiso,  we  anchored  just  out- 
side the  almost  circular  bay  of  Montevideo,  nearly  two  miles  in 
diameter,  and  opening  toward  the  southwest.  Three  or  four 
steamers  and  a dozen  ships  were  lying  near  us.  El  Cerro,  or 


144  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


the  Mount,  a distinguishing  feature  of  the  port,  rises  in  the 
form  of  a smooth,  isolated  cone  to  a height  of  five  hundred  feet 
about  half  a mile  from  the  rocky  beach  on  the  western  side  of 
the  bay.  It  is  covered  with  thin  grass,  and  is  crowned  by  a fort 
in  which  is  a lighthouse,  wdiose  splendid  revolving  light  is  visi- 
ble twenty-five  miles  at  sea.  The  city  stands  on  gently  rising 
ground  on  the  east  side  of  the  bay,  near  its  entrance,  and  oc- 
cupies a small  peninsula  and  a large  portion  of  the  mainland. 
The  sun  set,  and  we  remained  on  board  until  the  next  day. 

Upon  going  on  deck  in  the  morning  I saw  that  there 
were  about  fifty  vessels  in  the  inner  harbor,  very  many  of 
them  of  large  tonnage.  Many  small  sailing-craft  from  the 
great  rivers  above  were  also  entering  port.  To  the  left  was 
the  Cerro,  and  at  its  base  were  some  great  buildings  of  the 
saladeros  or  beef-salters.  Directly  opposite  us  the  shore  was 
thinly  dotted  with  dwellings,  but  to  the  right  lay  the  impos- 
ing city  of  Montevideo,  a thick  mass  of  irregular- shaped, 
fiat-roofed  houses,  with  many  church-towers,  domes,  fire- 
lookouts,  and  chimneys.  The  place  bore  quite  an  Oriental 
air.  The  great  square  towers  of  the  cathedral,  with  its  tile- 
covered  cupola,  held  the  center  of  the  view,  rising  high  above 
the  surrounding  buildings.  To  the  right  was  another  very 
prominent  object,  the  huge  walls  and  cylindrical  roof  of  the 
opera-house.  Then  there  were  pineapple-shaped  spires,  and 
the  tops  of  many  dwellings  bore  curious  little  square  belve- 
deres. Colors,  too,  were  not  wanting.  The  green  of  the 
towers  and  domes,  the  yellow  and  red  of  the  houses,  the  dark 
brown  of  the  warehouses,  and  the  white  of  the  shipping  near 
the  shore,  furnished  a glittering  abundance.  To  the  extreme 
right  were  a fringe  of  trees  and  a slope  of  very  green  grass 
extending  away  off  to  the  point  where  rose  the  tall  gray  stee- 
ple of  a lighthouse.  The  situation  of  Montevideo,  therefore, 
as  it  inclines  gently  back  from  the  water,  with  the  bright 
morning  sun  lighting  up  its  various  tints,  and  glancing  from 
the  tiled  domes  and  tower-tops,  makes  altogether  a very  at- 
tractive picture.  In  general  position  and  aspect  it  reminded 
me  of  Constantinople. 


General  View  of  Montevideo. 


MONTEVIDEO— TEE  ATTRACTIVE.  145 

At  our  foremast  fluttered  the  Uruguay  flag — blue  aud 
white  alternate  stripes,  with  a gilded  sun  in  the  upper  cor- 
ner nearest  the  flag-staff,  where  the  stars  are  in  the  Ameri- 
can banner.  I enter  a small  steam-tender  and  with  my  bag- 
gage start  for  the  inner  harbor,  the  custom-house,  and  the 
Hotel  des  Pyramid es.  On  the  way  we  pass  a dozen  men-of- 
war  and  small  gunboats  of  various  nationalities — English, 
French,  Brazilian,  Spanish,  and  Portuguese.  Beyond  these, 
and  anchored  in  a sort  of  bight,  are'  several  hundred  small 
trading-boats  from  up  the  rivers  Parana,  Paraguay,  and  Uru- 
guay. A great  fleet  of  lighters  is  also  to-  be  seen.  The  cus- 
tom-houses are  enormous  three  story  structures,  occupying 
several  blocks.  I find  the  officials  very  courteous,  and  with- 
out delay  hire  some  porters  to  carry  my  baggage,  and  follow 
them  on  foot  to  my  hotel. 

Notwithstanding  it  is  Sunday,  all  the  retail  shops  are 
open,  though  comparatively  few  people  are  seen.  The  streets 
are  nicely  paved  with  oblong  stone  blocks,  and  both  they 
and  the  sidewalks  are  broader  than  is  usual  in  South  Ameri- 
can cities.  The  houses  are  mostly  two  and  three  stories  in 
height,  but  you  see  also  some  handsome  residences  of  but  a 
single  story,  and  this  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  Monte- 
video is  not  situated  in  an  earthquake  region.  The  city  is 
lighted  by  gas-brackets,  attached  to  the  walls  of  the  houses. 
One  instantly  notices  the  rows  of  gas-jets  in  semicircular 
pipes  wThich  at  frequent  intervals  bridge  the  chief  thorough- 
fares from  house  to  house,  and  many  of  which  are  provided 
with  vari-colored  glass  globes.  These  pipes  are  to  assist  in 
the  illumination  of  the  city  on  the  anniversary  of  the  great 
national  holiday,  the  18th  of  July,  1830 — it  was  upon  this 
date  that  the  Republic  of  Uruguay  was  founded.  On  ordi- 
nary festivals  the  illumination  is  paid  for  by  equal  assess- 
ments upon  the  houses  thus  joined ; but  on  this  special  po- 
litical celebration  the  Government  pays  for  all  the  gas  con- 
sumed. The  finest  street,  with  its  stores  and  residences,  and 
double  line  of  tram-cars,  is  called  the  B “ Boulevard  18 
de  Julio,”  and  would  be  no  discredit  to  London,  Paris,  or 
10 


146  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

New  York.  A very  noticeable  feature  of  the  streets  and 
public  places  is  the  absence  of  any  prominent  Uruguayan 
element  in  the  populace.  Every  nation  under  the  sun  seems 
to  be  represented,  but  comparatively  few  native  faces  are 
met.  In  this  respect  it  is  very  like  Valparaiso,  and  most  un- 
like La  Paz  and  Quito.  Fully  one  third,  or  about  forty 
thousand,  of  the  population  of  Montevideo  are  foreigners. 
Then,  again,  the  appearance  of  the  city,  upon  landing  and 
traversing  its  thoroughfares,  is  decidedly  strange.  In  fact,  it 
strongly  resembles  the  cities  of  northern  Italy.  My  hotel  I 
find  on  a corner  of  the  Grand  Plaza  next  the  cathedral, 
which  is  a very  large  edifice,  with  two  towers  and  a huge 
dome  covered  with  green,  blue,  and  yellow  tiles.  In  one  of 
the  towers  is  a fine  clock,  which  strikes*  the  hours,  halves, 
and  quarters,  and  whose  face  is  illumined  at  night.  This 
clock  has  a very  intelligible  as  well  as  agreeable  method  of 
announcing  the  time.  Just  before  the  hours,  eight  taps  are 
made  by  twos  in  different  keys,  then  follow  the  slow,  solemn 
notes  of  the  hour  in  a deeper  and  more  mellow  tone.  The 
quarter  hours  are  marked  by  two  strokes,  the  halves  by  four, 
and  the  three-quarters  by  six.  The  facade  of  the  cathedral 
is  very  plain,  and  the  towers  and  dome  are  in  a simple 
though  impressive  style  of  architecture.  Inside  there  is 
nothing  to  especially  distinguish  this  from  other  metropoli- 
tan churches  in  South  America.  Near  the  door,  however,  is 
a remarkably  handsome  statue  of  a former  archbishop,  in 
full  canonicals,  and  in  a kneeling  posture,  with  the  head 
partially  raised  in  prayer.  The  Grand  Plaza  is  large,  but 
not  surrounded  by  any  fine  buildings  other  than  the  cathe- 
dral and  the  Town  Hall,  a two-story  stone  affair  built  in  a 
very  substantial  manner  many  years  ago  by  the  Spaniards. 
In  the  center  of  the  Plaza  is  a superb  fountain  of  many 
basins  and  much  carving.  Around  the  base  are  patriotic  sen- 
timents and  dates  commemorative  of  the  political  history  of 
the  country.  The  paths  radiating  from  the  fountain  are 
flanked  with  small  acacias,  or  Egyptian  thorn-trees,  trimmed 
nearly  to  death.  The  remainder  of  the  Plaza  is  covered 


MONTEVIDEO— THE  ATTRACTIVE. 


147 


with  smooth,  reddish  gravel — as  if  the  citizens  had  become 
disgusted  with  the  attempt  to  make  anything  grow — all  very 
dreary  to  behold.  A music  pavilion  is  placed  at  one  side. 
At  another  is  a stand  of  European-looking  hackney-coaches, 
but  it  is  scarcely  necessary  to  employ  them,  as  the  tram  lines 
seem  to  gridiron  the  city.  Besides,  these  lines  are  so  cheap 
— from  two  to  seven  cents,  according  to  the  distance— as  to 
be  used  by  every  one.  The  cars,  I observed,  had  been  made 
in  Hew  York.  There  are,  of  course,  a number  of  other 
plazas  in  the  city — one,  that  of  the  Indepen dencia,  being  very 
large,  and  laying  claim  to  the  boast,  not  wholly  peculiar  to 
Montevideo,  of  being  the  finest  square  in  South  America. 
On  one  side  is  the  Government  Building,  where  are  to  be 
found  the  offices  of  the  various  cabinet  ministers.  This 
plaza  was  not  in  good  order  at  the  time  of  my  visit,  and  I 
believe  the  plan  was  to  lay  it  out  in  lawn  and  flowers. 

One  afternoon  I visited  the  Prado  or  Park,  a great  pleas- 
ure-ground for  the  people,  at  a short  distance  from  the  bor- 
ders of  the  city.  The  road  to  this  park  passes  through  Paso 
Molino,  which  is  the  most  fashionable  suburb  of  Montevideo. 
Here  one  may  see  the  quintas , or  country-houses,  of  the 
wealthy  officials  and  merchants,  single-story  buildings  of  the 
quaintest  architecture — one  of  them  resembles  a great  burial 
vault  more  than  anything  else — embowered  in  gardens  of 
fruit-trees  and  beautiful  flowers,  with  artificial  concomitants 
of  statues,  fountains,  marble  settees,  and  gravel  walks.  In 
the  Prado  were  many  fine  trees  from  different  zones.  Espe- 
cially noticeable,  from  their  number  and  size,  were  the  euca- 
lypti. In  one  place  was  a restaurant,  in  others  were  beer  and 
billiard  rooms,  shooting-galleries,  and  all  sorts  of  out-door 
games  for  youths.  In  a grove,  with  seats  which  were  half 
filled  with  people,  the  music  of  the  Basques  (who  are  largely 
represented  in  the  population  of  Montevideo),  upon  flageolet 
and  drum,  was  in  progress,  and  frequently  these  people  per- 
form here  their  national  dance,  which  consists  largely  of  post- 
uring. Their  music  is  plaintive  and  sentimental  in  charac- 
ter. On  festivals  this  park  is  crowded  with  people  from  the 


14:8  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

city,  who  bring  provisions,  and  during  a whole  day  camp  in 
true  Gypsy  style.  I noticed  a few  elegant  carriages  of  for- 
eign ownership,  with  liveried  coachmen  and  footmen,  but  the 
popular  mode  for  taking  air  and  exercise,  especially  for  gen- 
tlemen, appeared  to  be  upon  horseback. 

In  the  evening  I went  to  the  opera-honse,  a large  build- 
ing, with  a portico  and  a pair  of  oval  wings  of  very  imposing 
effect,  the  whole  occupying  an  entire  square.  One  of  the 
wings  is  devoted  to  a large  billiard  and  liquor  saloon,  while 
the  other  contains  the  National  Museum.  There  was  a great 
red  light  burning  at  the  apex  of  the  roof,  to  indicate  that 
opera  would  be  given  that  night,  the  light  being  omitted 
when  there  is  no  opera.  Inside,  on  the  second  floor,  is  a fine 
large  foyer^  with  tables  and  chairs  for  those  who  wish  to  sit 
and  smoke  and  drink.  The  auditorium  is  rather  handsome, 
quite  an  oval  in  shape,  and  with  its  five  tiers  of  boxes — like 
La  Scala  at  Milan — ornamented  in  white,  green,  red,  and 
gold.  The  fourth  circle  is  exclusively  reserved  for  women. 
This  is  a peculiar  feature  of  the  large  theatres  in  Montevideo, 
as  well  as  in  all  South  American  capitals,  and  in  Spain.  No 
man,  however  high  his  station,  is  ever  allowed  to  enter  here. 
The  ladies  are  escorted  to  the  theatre  by  their  fathers  or 
brothers,  who  leave  them  at  the  door,  and  either  take  seats  in 
another  part  of  the  house,  or  go  away  to  spend  the  evening 
as  they  like,  returning  at  the  close  of  the  performance  to 
escort  the  ladies  home.  The  ladies  being  pretty  and  gayly 
dressed,  this  gallery,  when  filled,  as  it  generally  is,  presents 
a very  beautiful  spectacle.  The  men  are  rigorously  excluded 
from  the  charmed  circle,  but  no  regulation  can  control  the 
flashing  eyes  of  the  occupants  of  the  gallery,  and  the  flirta- 
tions which  are  carried  on  with  the  gentlemen  in  other  parts 
of  the  house  are  constant.  They  never  get  beyond  the  point 
of  meeting  eyes,  however,  for  at  the  door  the  lady  is  met  by 
her  escort  and  hurried  to  her  home,  and  she  gets  no  chance 
to  extend  the  flirtation  by  means  of  conversation.  To  the 
fifth  circle  men  only  are  admitted.  In  the  parquette  the 
seats  were  three  dollars  each.  The  house  has  a seating  ca- 


MONTEVIDEO— THE  ATTRACTIVE . 


149 


pacity  of  four  thousand,  and  was  well  filled.  The  ladies  almost 
all  wore  showy  hats,  with  colored  silk  dresses,  a few  only 
were  clothed  in  black,  and  were  hatless.  While  speaking  of 
the  Montevideo  ladies,  I might  mention,  for  the  benefit  of 
my  American  lady  readers,  that  short  dresses  are  worn  in  the 
streets — granting  a liberal  display  of  very  small  and  high- 
heeled  Trench  boots — with  hats  and  without  cloaks,  and  that 
the  fashion  seems  to  run  altogether  to  the  bustle,  accompanied 
with  great  puffs  calculated  to  make  a Japanese  girl  die  of 
envy.  (It  is  unnecessary  to  explain  that  this  very  ugly  cus- 
tom, this  actual  deformation  of  the  “ human  form  divine,”  is 
an  exaggerated  adaptation  from  the  Japanese.)  I have  fre- 
quently seen  these  posterior  appendages  projecting  quite  two 
feet  from  the  body,  and  have  wondered  they  were  not  util- 
ized as  bundle  or  wrap  carriers.  Every  country,  however, 
has  its  own  standard  of  taste  and  fashion.  In  Valparaiso 
and  Santiago  it  is  the  spray  of  feathers  and  top-knot  of 
artificial  vegetation  which  marks  the  best  society ; in  Mon- 
tevideo it  is  the  bustle,  which,  by  its  greater  or  lesser  super- 
ficial area,  distinguishes  the  patrician  from  the  plebeian.  The 
graceful  lace  mantilla,  with  the  dignified  black  embroidered 
crape  or  silk  shawl,  is  all  unknown,  the  most  extravagant 
Trench  fashions  having  taken  its  place.  The  men  show  no 
better  taste.  Just  at  this  period  it  is  a question  whether 
they  are  endeavoring  to  trim  their  shoes  or  their  beards  to 
the  sharpest  point.  To  return  to  the  opera : it  was  a light, 
Offenbachian  affair,  sung  by  a Spanish  company,  accom- 
panied by  an  orchestra  of  thirty  instruments.  I regret  that  I 
am  not  able  to  praise  any  of  the  vocal  or  instrumental  per- 
formers. As  I passed  out,  a curious  lattice-covered  box 
attracted  my  attention.  This,  I was  informed,  was  set  apart 
for  the  use  of  persons  in  mourning,  who  might  wish  perhaps 
to  hear  an  opera,  without  being  seen  at  such  a performance 
under  such  conditions.  It  is  a custom  which,  it  seems  to  me 
would  be  in  great  danger  of  being  abused.  As  I stood  by 
the  door  to  see  the  “ quality  ” pass,  General  Santos,  then  Pres- 
ident of  the  Republic,  was  pointed  out  to  me — a very  small, 


150  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

thin  man,  with  a bright,  intelligent  face,  dressed  in  plain  civil- 
ian clothes,  and  followed  by  an  enormous  negro  orderly  in  full 
uniform.  I was  told  that  the  general  was  probably  accom- 
panied by  half  a dozen  detectives,  for  the  demon  of  assassina- 
tion always  hovers  over  the  South  American  republics. 

Sitting  in  my  room,  reading  and  resting  during  the  fol- 
lowing afternoon,  I hear  the  sound  of  martial  music,  and, 
opening  one  of  the  French  windows  and  stepping  out  into 
the  little  balcony,  I see  a regiment  of  Uruguayan  soldiers 
pass  through  the  street.  First  came  a company  of  buglers, 
then  a drum-corps,  then  a large  brass  band  playing  a lively 
quickstep,  then  the  colonel  and  mounted  staff,  and  then  six- 
teen companies  of  twelve  front  and  double  rank.  The  men 
did  not  have  a very  martial  bearing,  though  they  marched 
well,  and  performed  in  tolerable  fashion  the  few  evolutions 
requisite  to  pass  street  obstructions.  Their  uniform  was 
rather  peculiar.  It  consisted  of  a red  forage-cap,  a sort  of 
blue  ulster  descending  to  about  six  inches  above  the  ground, 
ornamented  and  fastened  with  brass  buttons,  enormous  baggy 
trousers  of  white  canvas,  and  white  canvas  gaiters.  Their 
accoutrements  consisted  of  rifles,  with  sword-bayonets,  knap- 
sacks, blankets,  and  tin  plates.  The  officers  wore  a neat  uni- 
form of  dark  cloth,  similar  to  that  used  by  the  engineers  of 
the  British  army.  The  regimental  colors  were  of  fine  silk, 
and  very  pretty.  The  mounted  officers  had  beautiful  horses, 
and  splendid  saddles  with  silver  stirrups.  The  “ rank  and 
file”  were  rather  undersized,  and  a more  wild,  brutal,  and 
savage-looking  set  of  men  I have  rarely  seen.  The  explana- 
tion is  that  the  Uruguayan  army  is  very  largely  recruited 
from  the  prisons  and  penitentiaries,  and  that  under  certain 
conditions,  after  having  passed  a specified  length  of  time  in 
jail,  a criminal  is  allowed  to  serve  out  in  the  army  the  re- 
mainder of  his  term.  It  may  be  that  the  discipline  of  the 
army  is  quite  as  wholesome  as  that  of  the  jail,  but  it  seems 
to  me  a much  lighter  form  of  punishment,  inasmuch  as  the 
restriction  is  neither  solitary  nor  close,  and  the  odium  of 
being  branded  as  a criminal  among  criminals  is  quite  omitted. 


Situation  of  the  Argentine  Republic  in  South  America. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  METROPOLIS  OF  THE  RIVER  PLATE. 

At  six  o’clock  in  the  evening  I left  Montevideo  for  Bue- 
nos Ayres,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles  distant,  in  a 
steamer  (of  some  five  hundred-odd  tons  burden)  of  a line 
which  dispatches  a boat  every  day  of  the  week,  save  Friday 
and  Saturday.  It  is  a double-deck,  side- wheel,  two-pipe  ves- 
sel, and  seems  intended  to  carry  only  passengers  and  their 
personal  baggage.  W e were  about  fifty,  representing  a fifth 
as  many  nationalities.  The  dinner  was  most  elaborate — at 
least  a dozen  courses,  with  three  kinds  of  wine.  Living  in 
Montevideo  is  not  only  cheap  but  good.  At  the  hotel  at 
which  I stayed,  one  of  the  best  though  not  the  largest  in  the 
city,  I paid  two  dollars  and  a half  per  day,  and  this  charge 
included  two  kinds  of  wine,  Spanish  and  French.  The 
rooms  were  well  furnished  and  admirably  kept,  the  table  was 
bounteously  supplied,  and  the  cooking  was  either  French  or 
Italian,  there  being  ordinarily  but  little  difference  in  these 
systems.  A dozen  great  steamers  lay  in  the  offing,  as  we 
passed  out  and  headed  toward  the  west.  Montevideo  is  a 
place  of  great  commercial  activity.  I noticed,  in  an  evening 
newspaper,  that  five  steamers  were  to  sail  and  four  expected 
to  arrive  that  day.  A heavy  northerly  storm  of  wind,  rain, 
thunder,  and  lightning,  prevailed  throughout  the  night. 
This  “ Horte,”  as  it  is  called,  is  a very  depressing,  unwhole- 
some sort  of  wind,  wdiereas  the  “ Pampero,”  or  wind  from 
the  great  open  plains,  which  generally  blows,  is  very  cool, 
bracing,  and  healthy.  Hence  the  title — Buenos  Ayres,  good 
air. 


152  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


At  daylight  we  had  reached  the  roadstead,  and  could 
fairly  see  the  city  through  the  gloom  of  fog  and  rain.  The 
water  was  of  a light  brown,  thick  and  dirty-looking.  There 
were  at  least  fifty  ships  at  anchor,  scattered  over  a very  great 
extent  of  the  river.  Near  the  city,  where  we  anchored,  were 
a few  steamers  and  vessels  employed  in  the  great  up-country 
river  navigation.  So  shallow  is  the  Plata,  opposite  Buenos 
Ayres,  that  occasionally,  when  it  is  especially  low,  the  sail- 
boats, in  landing  passengers  from  the  steamers,  are  not  able 
to  reach  the  piers,  and  consequently  empty  their  human 
freight  into  carts,  wTdch,  in  turn,  bring  them  across  the  flats 
to  the  shore.  Cargo  from  small  river- vessels  is  very  often 
landed  in  this  way,  and  I have  seen  a dozen  carts,  quite  half 
a mile  from  shore,  with  the  water  no  higher  than  their  axle- 
trees.  The  odd  appearance  of  these  carts,  with  their  huge 
wheels,  circular  roofs,  and  tandem  teams,  driving  about 
among  the  shipping  in  the  roadstead,  may  be  imagined.  In 
the  distance,  to  the  southwest  of  our  anchorage,  were  dimly 
seen  a great  mass  of  masts,  and  yards,  and  streaming  pen- 
nants. These  belonged  to  vessels  in  the  Riachuelo  River,  a 
small  stream,  emptying  into  the  Plata,  which  serves  as  a 
sort  of  inner  harbor  to  the  city.  Buenos  Ayres,  from  the 
river,  very  much  resembles  Montevideo  in  its  general  aspect; 
it  is  like  an  Italian  city.  It  is,  however,  built  upon  more 
level  ground  than  Montevideo,  and  its  streets  all  lie  exactly 
at  right  angles  to  each  other,  and  the  general  direction  of  the 
blocks  is  almost  toward  the  cardinal  points  of  the  compass. 
At  the  northern  part  of  the  city  one  sees  many  tall  chimneys 
and  large  factories  ; and  beyond,  farther  to  the  east,  is  a long 
circling  fringe  of  trees.  In  the  center  and  southern  section 
rise  above  the  three  and  four  story  houses,  with  their  arcades 
and  belvederes,  many  peak-topped  towers,  many  domes  of 
churches,  many  spires  of  various  designs  and  for  various  pur- 
poses. This  is  almost  an  Oriental  view  ; but  as  I look  again 
a protracted  railway-train  rushes  along  the  bank  and  dispels 
this  charming  chimera.  Three  long  iron  piers  project  into 
the  river,  and  at  the  center  of  these  I am  landed  from  a little 


THE  METROPOLIS  OF  THE  RIVER  PLATE.  153 

Italian  felucca,  into  which  I had  with  the  greatest  difficulty, 
and  some  danger  (owing  to  the  high  sea  and  strong  tide), 
thrown  first  my  baggage  and  then  myself.  At  the  custom- 
house the  inspection  is  over  in  a moment,  and  I follow  por- 
ters with  my  baggage  to  the  “ Hotel  Provence,”  only  two 
blocks  distant.  I find  it  to  be  a good  hostelry,  kept  in  the 
French  style,  as  I had  inferred  from  its  name. 

The  streets  and  sidewalks  of  Buenos  Ayres  are  all  narrow, 
badly  paved,  and  dirty — in  these  respects  differing  from  the 
neighboring  capital  of  Uruguay.  They  have  a curious  meth- 
od of  naming  the  streets  in  Buenos  Ayres.  A street  about 
the  center  of  the  city,  running  east  and  west,  forms  a divid- 
ing line  from  which  the  streets  running  north  and  south  take 
different  names,  and  from  which  the  numbers  also  begin  and 
run  in  opposite  directions.  The  east  and  west  streets  have 
but  a single  name.  Among  the  streets  I notice  the  name 
“ United  States”;  and  in  Montevideo  there  is  one  called 
“ Hew  York.”  The  names  of  no  other  foreign  countries  and 
cities  being  thus  represented,  we  have  a right,  I suppose,  to 
feel  highly  complimented.  There  seem  to  be  few  hand- 
some public  buildings  in  Buenos  Ayres.  It  is  a great  com- 
mercial mart,  and  its  citizens  seem  wholly  given  to  business. 
The  number  of  stores  and  the  variety  and  elegance  of  the 
goods  displayed  are  astonishing.  The  retail  shops  of  the 
street  called  Florida  have  a true  Parisian,  splendor.  Many 
of  them  are  small,  and  devoted  to  a special  product  or  arti- 
cle for  which  you  would  think  there  would  be  sufficient  de- 
mand only  in  a large  city  like  Paris  or  Vienna.  On  the 
other  hand,  entire  streets,  as  with  us  at  home,  are  sometimes 
devoted  to  certain  classes  of  business.  Thus,  the  . first  street 
running  along  the  river  is  monopolized  by  the  customs  and 
port  offices,  and  stores  connected  with  shipping  interests. 
The  next  may  be  said  to  be  the  street  of  banks,  brokers,  and 
insurance  companies.  Here  is  situated  the  Exchange,  a fine 
large  building  erected  in  1883,  in  which  the  Argentine  “bulls 
and  bears  ” wrangle  in  just  the  same  fashion  as  their  brother 
fauna  do  in  Hew  York  or  London.  The  next  street  is  that 


154  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


of  stationers  and  lawyers.  Then  come  the  shops  of  the 
Florida,  which  street  is  also  the  afternoon  resort  of  beauty 
and  fashion.  Next  to  Florida  is  Maypu,  the  street  of  whole- 
sale merchants,  and  then  Esmeraldas,  where  are  many  thea- 
tres, music-halls,  skating-rinks,  shooting-galleries,  ball-rooms, 
and  beer-gardens.  Buenos  Ayres  is  even  more  of  a cosmo- 
politan city  than  Montevideo,  about  half  of  its  population 
being  Europeans  by  birth.  You  hear  French,  German,  Ital- 
ian, and  English  spoken  almost  as  much  as  Spanish.  Opera- 
houses,  hotels,  cafes,  restaurants,  and  clubs  of  different  na- 
tionalities vie  with  each  other.  The  “ Stranger’s  Guide  ” to 
Buenos  Ayres  is  published  in  four  languages.  The  popula- 
tion is  put  down  at  four  hundred  thousand,  thus  making  it 
the  largest  city  in  the  southern  hemisphere,  Bio  Janeiro 
standing  second. 

The  principal  public  square — the  Plaza  de  la  Victoria — 
is  about  eight  acres  in  extent,  and  is  situated  near  the  center 
of  the  eastern  edge  of  the  city,  just  back  of  the  custom- 
house. It  contains  two  monuments,  one  an  equestrian  statue 
of  General  San  Martin,  the  illustrious  colleague  of  Bolivar  in 
the  War  of  Independence,  and  the  other  a sort  of  pyramid  of 
liberty,  made  of  brick  and  stucco,  and  erected  in  remem- 
brance of  the  heroes  of  the  same  conflict.  The  latter  is  a very 
tawdry,  cheap-looking  affair,  without  any  redeeming  archi- 
tectural features.  A bronze  monument  was  ordered,  as  far 
back  as  1826,  to  replace  this  one,  but  has  not  yet  made  its  ap- 
pearance. On  the  north  side  of  this  plaza  are  the  cathedral, 
the  archbishop’s  palace,  and  the  opera-house.  The  cathedral 
has  a portico,  with  a symbolical  pediment,  and  a blue  tile- 
covered  cupola.  On  the  facade  are  huge  bosses  of  white  and 
gold  wood-work,  displaying  ecclesiastical  crooks,  mitres, 
scarfs,,  and  keys.  The  interior  contains  nothing  extraordi- 
nary, save  a great  marble  and  bronze  monument  in  one  of 
the  chapels,  erected  in  1880  to  the  memory  of  General  San 
Martin.  It  is  in  the  form  of  a bronze  sarcophagus,  reared 
upon  a lofty  marble  pedestal  of  four  different  colors.  The 
opera-house  exteriorly  is  not  imposing,  while  interiorly  it  is 


A Private  Residence , Buenos  Ayres. 


THE  METROPOLIS  OF  THE  RIVER  PLATE.  155 

•'  , c 

very  like  that  at  Montevideo.  On  the  east  side  of  the  Vic- 
toria Plaza  is  a huge  two-story  and  Mansard-roof  building — 
about  the  only  really  handsome  building  in  Buenos  Ayres— 
wdiich  contains  in  one  wing  the  government-house,  in  the 
other  the  post-office,  while  in  the  center  is  the  grand  entrance 
to  the  custom-house.  It  is  wholly  a modern  style  of  building. 
On  the  south  side  is  Congress  Hall,  and  the  rest  of  this  street 
is  filled  with  very  inferior  one  and  two  story  shops,  which 
spoil  the  general  effect  of  the  square.  On  the  remaining 
side,  the  west,  are  the  Town  Hall  and  police  department. 
The  Town  Hall  has  rather  a fine  lofty  clock-tower ; of  the 
police  headquarters  nothing  favorable  can  be  said.  While 
criticising  so  harshly  the  public  buildings  of  so  large  and 
wealthy  a city,  I ought  to  mention  that  while  Buenos  Ayres 
is  to  remain  the  capital  of  the  nation,  the  capital  of  the  prov- 
ince of  the  same  name  has  been  removed  to  La  Plata,  a city 
forty  miles  to  the  southeast,  where  a number  of  governmental 
buildings,  in  the  most  lavish  style  of  modern  architecture, 
are  in  progress  of  erection. 

The  Eecoleta,  or  public  cemetery,  is  at  the  northern  ex- 
tremity of  the  city.  There  is  an  elaborate  gateway  prefaced 
by  some  pretty  gardens,  but  inside  are  only  a few  cypress- 
trees,  and  monuments  set  in  rectangular  rows  and  so  close 
together  that  the  place  has  quite  the  look  of  a stone-cutter’s 
display -yard.  Why  the  citizens  of  Buenos  Ayres  could  not 
take  thrice  the  amount  of  land,  and  lay  it  out  with  trees 
and  lawns  and  flowers,  and  neat  gravel  walks,  I can  not  com- 
prehend. Such  a style  of  graveyard  as  our  Greenwood,  or 
Cypress  Hills,  or  Woodlawn,  does  not  exist  in  all  South 
America.  The  people  of  Buenos  Ayres,  unlike  those  of 
Montevideo  and  the  west  coast,  do  not  employ  mural  burial 
to  any  extent.  Here  the  popular  style  of  interment  is  either 
in  vaults  below  the  surface,  or  in  marble  tombs  just  above  it. 
In  either  case  there  is  generally  a more  or  less  ornamental 
structure,  fitted  up  with  a miniature  altar,  and  filled  with 
wreaths,  inscriptions,  cards,  and  other  touching  tokens.  The 
door  is  usually  of  latticed  iron,  and  the  coffins  may  plainly 


156  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

be  seen  lying  upon  iron  gratings  at  each  side,  or  below,  in  a 
vault. 

Many  fine  country  residences  are  seen  on  the  outskirts  of 
Buenos  Ayres.  One  that  I visited,  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
city,  belongs  to  a wealthy  native  merchant.  The  house  is  a very 
large  one,  sumptuously  furnished,  and  from  its  lofty  tower  a 
widely  extended  view  of  city,  country,  and  river  may  be  ob- 
tained. The  grounds  fill  an  entire  and  very  large  square, 
and  are  surrounded  by  a high  brick  wall.  Here  are  gardens 
worthy  of  Versailles  or  Fontainebleau.  Nature  and  art  are 
combined  to  the  best  effect.  Both  temperate  and  semi-tropic 
zones  are  represented,  and  grottoes,  summer-houses,  marble 
statues,  urns,  fountains,  arbors,  and  conservatories  abound. 
In  one  place  is  a splendid  avenue  lined  with  the  ever-pict- 
uresque  cocoa  palm.  At  another  spot  a huge  old  pine-tree 
supports  near  its  crown  a pretty  belvidere,  reached  by  a 
spiral  staircase.  There  are  rich  orchards,  attractive  flower- 
beds, great  clumps  of  shrubbery,  velvety  lawns,  and  rare 
graperies.  Everywhere  run  paths  covered  with  beautiful 
pink  and  white  shells.  It  costs  the  proprietor  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars  a year  to  keep  this  magnificent  place  in 
order.  In  returning  to  the  hotel  I passed  two  banking  build- 
ings— the  Banco  Hipotecario  and  the  Banco  Provincial — 
which  are  as  handsome  and  appropriate  samples  of  what  such 
edifices  may  be  as  any  European  or  American  city  can  show. 
They  are  of  brick  and  plaster,  two  stories  in  height,  with 
central  towers  and  imposing  facades.  Inside,  the  furnishing 
and  upholstery  are  of  the  most  luxurious  description.  Mar- 
ble, bronze,  tiles,  stained  glass,  mahogany,  and  frescoes  have 
been  everywhere  lavishly  employed.  These  buildings  cost 
about  one  million  five  hundred  thousand  dollars  apiece. 

There  are  a number  of  theatres  in  Buenos  Ayres,  all  of 
them  quite  large,  with  from  three  to  five  tiers  of  boxes.  At 
one  of  them  I saw  Ambroise  Thomas’s  “ Mignon  ” given  in 
good  style  by  a French  lyric  company  ; in  another  a comedy 
by  a Spanish  dramatic  troupe  ; in  a third  Alexandre  Dumas’s 
drama  of  “ Denise”  by  an  Italian  company,  the  “ star ” of 


THE  METROPOLIS  OF  THE  RIVER  PLATE.  157 


which  was  a brother  of  the  famous  tragedian  Ernesto  Bossi ; 
and  in  a fourth  a grand  symphony  concert,  with  an  orches- 
tra of  seventy  “ professionals,”  as  the  bills  styled  the  musi- 
cians. The  orchestra  were  seated  upon  an  ample  stage,  and 
gave,  with  good  expression,  selections  from  Massenet,  Saint- 
Saens,  Rameau,  Wagner,  Weber,  and  Liszt,  together  with  an 
overture  and  a march  of  mediocre  merit  by  the  band-leader. 
The  theatres  have  an  average  seating  capacity  of  three  thou- 
sand ; while  the  Politeano  Argentino,  constructed  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  serve  for  a circus  as  well  as  theatre,  will  hold 
nearly  five  thousand  persons.  But  Buenos  Ayres  is  to  have 
a still  larger  theatre,  and  at  a cost  of  three  million  dollars. 
It  is  to  cover  thirteen  thousand  square  metres,  and  will  accom- 
modate six  thousand  spectators.  Its  stage  is  to  be  larger  than 
that  of  La  Scala. 

Of  course,  I paid  a visit  to  the  new  capital  of  the  prov- 
ince of  Buenos  Ayres,  La  Plata,  forty  miles  from  the  city, 
and  near  the  great  river,  with  which  it  is  to  be  connected  by 
a ship-canal.  I went  by  a good  railway,  over  a perfectly  flat 
and  well-cultivated  country,  a great  part  of  the  distance  in 
full  view  of  the  river.  The  cars  were  of  the  American  pat- 
tern, with  the  exception  that  there  was  a central  partition  in 
each  car.  A door  in  every  partition,  however,  permitted  con- 
tinuous communication  throughout  the  train.  The  railway- 
station  at  La  Plata  is  an  enormous  three-story  structure,  with 
a great  Mansard- roof.  The  new  city  is  laid  out  in  chess- 
board fashion,  though  it  is  also  provided  with  boulevards 
diagonally  cutting  through  it  from  angle  to  angle,  and  with 
several  plazas  and  a large  park.  It  was  only  founded  three 
years  before  my  visit,  but  already  boasted  a population  of 
thirty-five  thousand.  The  public  buildings — few  of  which 
were  then  completed — are  on  a very  grandiose  scale,  three 
stories  in  height,  elaborately  ornamented,  and  standing  in 
great  gardens  surrounded  by  lofty  iron  railings.  One  finds 
there  all  the  public  buildings  necessary  for  a great  munici- 
pality, such  as  a government  palace,  palace  of  justice,  of 
the  police,  a national  bank,  a jail,  library,  museum,  astro- 


158  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


nomical  and  meteorological  observatory,  and  splendid  resi- 
dences for  the  ministers  and  officers  of  the  government. 
The  museum  is  at  present  located  in  the  great  bank  building. 
It  contains  a complete  collection  of  Patagonian  ethnography, 
and  a very  fine  assortment  of  South  American  osteology. 
The  public  buildings  of  La  Plata,  when  completed,  will  do 
honor  to  any  capital,  though  I ought  to  add  that  they  are  all 
of  brick  and  stucco,  while  the  greater  number  of  the  dwell- 
ings are  of  wood.  The  port  of  the  new  city  will  cost,  when 
finished,  fifteen  million  dollars,  and  will  be  much  more  serv- 
iceable than  anything  near  Buenos  Ayres. 

The  pampas,  or  plain  regions  of  the  Argentine  Pepublic, 
embrace  an  area  nearly  two  thousand  miles  in  length  and 
five  hundred  in  width.  They  rise  from  the  east  almost  im- 
perceptibly, in  a series  of  terraces,  till  one  reaches  the  slopes 
of  the  Andes.  It  is  known  that  the  sea  was  once  over  all 
this  part  of  the  continent ; for  under  the  surface  soil  there 
are  gravel  and  great  beds  of  shells  of  the  same  species  now 
found  in  the  Atlantic,  mixed  with  the  bones  of  quadrupeds 
now  extinct,  but  of  the  same  type  as  those,  of  much  less  size, 
at  present  existing.  These  pampas  are  covered  with  coarse 
grass,  interspersed  with  desert  patches.  They  support,  as  is 
well  known,  enormous  herds  of  wild  cattle  and  horses. 
Lately  immense  tracts  of  pasture  are  being  converted  into 
farm-land,  and,  while  a few  years  ago  not  sufficient  wheat  was 
raised  to  supply  the  home  market,  the  exports  of  this  cereal 
in  1887  amounted  to  seven  million  bushels.  The  number  of 
reapers  imported  into  the  republic  the  same  year  was  fifteen 
hundred.  The  country  being  so  largely  a plain,  railways  are 
cheaply  constructed.  There  are  now  over  seven  thousand 
miles  running.  The  longest  straight  reach  of  railway  in  the 
world  is  on  the  new'  Argentine  Pacific  Bail  way,  from  Buenos 
Ayres  to  the  foot  of  the  Andes.  For  a distance  of  twro  hun- 
dred and  eleven  miles  the  line  is  laid  without  a curve.  The 
level  nature  of  the  country  will  be  evident  from  the  fact 
that  there  is  neither  a cutting  nor  an  embankment  deeper  or 
higher  than  three  feet. 


The  Famous  Rocking-Stone  of  Tandil. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


TOWARD  THE  HEART  OF  THE  CONTINENT. 

Among  many  wonders  of  nature  in  the  Argentine  Re- 
public, I saw  an  especially  interesting  geological  phenome- 
non. It  was  a great  rocking-stone — perhaps  the  largest  in 
the  world — three  miles  from  Tandil,  a small  village,  which 
may  he  reached  by  railway,  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles 
south  of  Buenos  Ayres.  The  giant,  mushroom-shaped  quartz 
bowlder  stands  upon  the  summit  of  some  picturesque  hills, 
perhaps  a thousand  feet  in  height.  It  weighs  over  seven 
hundred  tons,  and  is  so  nicely  poised  that  it  rocks  in  the 
wind,  and  may  be  made  to  crack  a walnut.  Yet  this  bowl- 
der is  so  firm  that  one  of  the  old  dictators,  Rosas  by  name, 
once  harnessed  a thousand  horses  to  it,  and  was  unable  to  dis- 
place it.  There  are,  of  course,  many  such  rocking-stones 
scattered  about  the  world,  though  I know  of  none  nearly  so 
large.  The  smaller  ones  are  not  less  interesting.  In  Hew 
York  State  are  twopone  near  the  town  of  Monticello,  of  about 
forty  tons,  and  the  other  in  Salem,  of  over  eighty  tons.  The 
former  is  nearly  as  round  as  an  orange,  and  so  nicely  bal- 
anced upon  a table  of  stone  that  a child,  by  pushing  against 
either  of  two  sides,  can  rock  it  back  and  forth ; yet  the 
strength  of  a hundred  men  without  levers  or  other  appli- 
ances, would  be  insufficient  to  dislodge  it  from  its  position. 
Its  body  is  composed  of  a somewhat  loose  and  soft  sandstone, 
in  which  are  imbedded  numberless  round  and  flinty  pebbles, 
of  a diamond-like  hardness.  In  the  valley  where  it  is  situ- 
ated it  is  the  solitary  specimen  of  its  class.  Whence  came 
this  wanderer,  and  how  ? The  other  great  rock  stands  two 


160  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

feet  from  tlie  ground,  on  stilts  composed  of  three  small 
pointed  rocks  of  a different  formation,  and  though  easily 
moved  to  and  fro,  by  the  application  of  a man’s  muscular 
strength,  can  not  be  overturned  or  removed  from  its  base. 
The  attempt  was  vainly  made  by  means  of  two  hundred  oxen 
yoked  together  and  hitched  to  its  massy  bulk.  All  these 
bowlders  wTere  undoubtedly  so  placed  by  glacial  action — that 
is,  by  the  melting  of  the  ice ; or  else  the  glaciers  of  ages  ago, 
having  tossed  these  rocks  about,  like  playthings,  have  finally 
deposited  them  in  the  extraordinary  positions  in  which  we 
now  find  them. 

On  October  18th  I left  Buenos  Ayres  for  Asuncion,  the 
capital  of  Paraguay,  in  a Brazilian  steamer  of  about  one 
thousand  tons  burden.  It  was  one  of  a line  which  dispatches 
one  steamer  a month  to  Asuncion,  and  thence  to  Curumba, 
nineteen  hundred  and  eighty -six  miles,  where  it  connects  with 
a smaller  steamer  for  Cuyaba,  twenty-five  hundred  and  three 
miles,  the  capital  of  Matto-G rosso,  a large  and  rich  province 
of  Brazil.  Asuncion  is  eleven  hundred  and  fifteen  miles 
from  Buenos  Ayres,  by  the  rivers  Parana  and  Paraguay. 
My  steamer  was  named  the  Bio  Apa,  after  the  river  which 
forms  the  boundary  between  Paraguay  and  Brazil  on  the 
north.  It  was  a paddle-wheel  vessel,  drawing  but  eight  feet 
of  water,  and  had  good  accommodation  for  first-class  passen- 
gers, though  the  table  was  not  all  that  might  be  desired. 
We  had  on  board  about  twenty  cabin  passengers,  among  them 
the  Brazilian  President  of  Matto-Grosso,  the  commander  of 
the  troops  there,  a deputy  from  that  province  to  Bio  Janeiro, 
and  several  merchants,  all  bound  for  Curumba  or  Cuyabfi. 
The  President  had  been  recently  elected  to  this  distant  post, 
a change  of  ministry  having  taken  place  in  Brazil.  Our  first 
stop  was  at  Bosario,  a city  of  about  forty-five  thousand  in- 
habitants, situated  on  the  west  bank,  and  about  sixty  feet 
above  the  river.  It  consists,  for  the  most  part,  of  single- 
story houses,  and  is  laid  out  at  precise  right  angles.  Tram- 
ways run  in  every  direction.  In  the  river,  abreast  of  the 
city,  were  anchored  several  good-sized  steamers,  and  along 


TOWARD  TEE  HEART  OF  TEE  CONTINENT.  161 

the  bank  and  at  short  piers  were  more  steamers  and  many 
sailing-vessels.  The  prevailing  style  of  the  river-vessels  ap- 
pears to  be  a sort  of  brigantine,  with  light  spars,  and 
of  these  there  is  a very  great  number.  With  their  tine 
lines,  tall,  raking  masts,  white  hulks,  and  great  spread  of  can- 
vas, they  resemble  yachts  more  than  merchantmen.  When 
sailing  on  the  wind,  with  four  jibs,  three  square  sails,  and 
three  try-sails  set,  they  present  a very  trim  and  pretty  ap- 
pearance. I go  on  shore  and  walk  through  the  principal 
streets.  The  wharves  are  covered  with  merchandise,  which 
is  being  transported  to  town  in  great  two-wheeled  carts. 
These  are  drawn,  in  a most  primitive  fashion,  by  a single 
horse  which  is  not  harnessed  by  means  of  traces  and  shafts, 
but  is  simply  secured  by  his  girth  to  a great  pole.  He  car- 
ries a sort  of  bag  saddle,  with  one  very  long  stirrup,  the 
rider  half  facing  the  cart,  and  the  horse,  especially  in  start- 
ing, getting  a strong  side  pull.  I did  not  think  that  a horse 
could  draw  half  so  great  a load  in  this  manner  as  by  a collar, 
but  was  surprised  to  find  I had  mistaken.  It  is  much  se- 
verer work,  however,  and  wears  the  animal  out  much  earlier. 
In  the  center  of  the  Grand  Plaza  is  a lofty  marble  shaft, 
with  a figure  of  Victory  atop,  and  at  the  base  four  life-size 
statues  of  Argentine  heroes — soldiers  and  statesmen.  It  was 
erected  in  1883,  and  is  a fine  piece  of  work  from  an  artistic 
standpoint.  The  plaza  is  adorned  with  a double  row  of  aca- 
cias. 

Leaving  Posario,  we  find  the  banks  of  the  river  altogether 
uninteresting,  being  generally  low  upon  the  eastern  side,  and 
with  bluffs,  sometimes  a hundred  feet  high,  upon  the  west- 
ern. The  river  averages  two  miles  in  width,  with  a current 
of  about  four  miles  an  hour.  The  channel  is  very  tortuous. 
First  we  skirt  one  bank,  and  then  the  opposite,  frequently 
approaching  within  thirty  feet  of  the  shore.  Notwithstand- 
ing this,  we  go  at  full  speed  all  night,  except  when  the 
weather  is  thick  or  foggy,  when  we  anchor.  Our  speed  is 
about  ten  knots  an  hour.  The  river  contains  many  small  isl- 
ands covered  with  tall  grass  and  green  shrubbery.  On  the 
11 


162  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


banks  poplars  and  willows  are  often  to  be  seen,  and  occa- 
sionally peach  and  other  fruit  trees,  with  great  farm-houses 
in  the  distance.  We  next  stopped  at  the  port  of  Parana,  the 
city  lying  upon  a high  bluff,  about  two  miles  distant,  and 
being  reached  by  tramway.  At  the  port,  where  we  received 
on  board  some  flour  and  biscuit,  were  only  the  custom- 
house, a hotel,  and  the  station  of  the  tram-cars.  A score  of 
sailing-vessels  were  loading  or  discharging  at  the  wharves, 
and  a large  steamer  was  just  leaving  for  Buenos  Ayres.  As 
we  went  on,  the  province  of  Santa  Fe  was  soon  upon  our 
left.  This  contains  a great  number  of  agricultural  colonies, 
some  of  them  reaching  to  the  river-bank.  The  colonists  are 
mostly  Germans  and  Swiss,  while  still  farther  to  the  north- 
west are  many  Italians.  The  Argentine  Republic  receives 
more  immigrants  from  Europe  than  all  the  other  South 
American  countries.  Lately  the  rate  of  immigration  has 
been  two  hundred  thousand  annually.  I may  add  that  this 
enterprising  republic  has  doubled  its  commerce  in  five  years 
and  its  wealth  in  ten.  Its  great  vitality  and  growth  lie  in 
the  fertility  and  cheapness  of  the  soil  and  in  the  multiplica- 
tion of  numbers,  both  of  human  beings  and  the  lower  ani- 
mals. 

The  next  day  we  reached  the  town  of  Goya,  six  hundred 
and  seventy-six  miles  from  Buenos  Ayres.  The  weather  was 
becoming  quite  warm  and  the  grass,  shrubs,  and  willows  were 
rapidly  giving  place  to  ferns,  oranges,  wild  sugar-cane,  and 
palms,  as  we  approached  the  tropics.  The  trees  were  in- 
creasing in  size  and  in  density  of  foliage,  and  there  was  also 
a good  deal  of  fine  grass-land  for  cattle.  The  smooth  bluffs 
showed  very  nicely  the  geological  strata,  exactly  as  they  were 
formed  ages  ago  when  the  Atlantic  swept  over  all  this  re- 
gion, depositing  its  sediment,  layer  upon  layer,  as  far  as  the 
Andes.  Alligators  are  sometimes  seen  basking  on  the  sandy 
beaches,  half  hidden  among  the  rushes.  Opposite  Goya  is 
an  immense  district  of  the  Argentine  Republic,  styled  the 
Gran  Chaco.  This  is  now  beginning  to  be  settled,  though 
its  northern  parts  are  a wilderness  full  of  savage  Indians. 


TOWARD  TEE  HEART  OF  THE  CONTINENT.  163 


Corrientes,  eight  hundred  and  thirty-two  miles,  was  one  of 
our  next  stops.  Vessels  drawing  as  much  as  ten  feet  can  go 
np  thus  far.  Fonr  days  from  Buenos  Ayres  we  entered  the 
Paraguay,  a river  about  a mile  in  width,  with  higher  and 
drier  banks  than  the  Parana,  though  with  quite  as  tortuous 
a channel.  Near  the  mouth  of  the  great  river  Vermejo, 
which  comes  into  the  Paraguay  from  Bolivia,  was  an  Argen- 
tine sub-prefecture  of  police,  where  was  stationed  a battalion 
of  troops,  with  a small  gunboat  anchored  near  by.  Upon 
the  right  we  now  had  the  Republic  of  Paraguay.  Very  many 
camelotes , or  floating  islands  of  water-plants,  passed  us,  voy- 
aging slowly  down  the  stream.  The  banks  are  being  con- 
stantly undermined  and  broken  off  by  the  current  and  wind 
—and  thus  are  launched  the  camelotes . The  country  be- 
comes more  undulating,  and  is  covered  with  forest  or  swamp. 
The  heat  is  very  great  during  the  day,  the  mosquitoes  very 
annoying  during  the  night.  The  alligators  increase  in 
number,  and  are  supplemented  by  carpinchos , or  river-hogs. 

About  noon  on  the  24th,  on  suddenly  turning  a bend  in 
the  river,  I saw  before  me  the  city  of  Asuncion,  the  capital 
of  Paraguay,  a plain  town  of  single-story  buildings,  the  only 
conspicuous  edifice  being  the  palace  of  Lopez  (the  famous 
Paraguayan  general  and  President),  torn  with  shot  and  shell 
just  as  it  was  left  by  the  Brazilian  fleet  fifteen  years  before. 
We  passed  some  batteries  and  the  arsenal,  and  saw  behind 
them  a large  hospital.  Abreast  of  the  city  was  a large, 
double-turreted  Brazilian  ironclad,  whose  sailors^  as  we  came 
to  anchor,  manned  her  yards  and  cheered  out  of  compliment 
to  the  President  of  Matto- Grosso,  whom  we  had  on  board. 
There  were  but  two  or  three  vessels,  save  a dozen  very  small 
craft,  in  the  roadstead  or  large  sort  of  bay  connecting  with 
the  river.  The  Paraguay  itself  seemed  to  be  about  a mile 
wide,  the  opposite  shores  being  low  and  level,  and  consisting 
mostly  of  meadow-land.  To  the  north  beautiful  green  hills 
stretched  away,  ridge  behind  ridge  ; to  the  south,  upon  a 
prominent  knoll,  was  a cemetery.  The  city  before  us  bore  a 
most  woe- begone  aspect,  the  buildings  seemed  all  dilapidated 


164  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


or  half -built,  and  scarcely  any  people  appeared.  Evidently 
Asuncion  has  not  revived  since  the  late  terrible  war.  Our 
anchor  was  dropped  just  six  days  from  the  time  of  leaving 
Buenos  Ayres.  As  I landed  upon  one  of  the  three  short 
piers,  a shower  of  tropical  violence  descended,  and  the  streets 
were  at  once  turned  into  rivers.  The  palace  of  Lopez,  which 
commands  an  extensive  view,  is  in  a very  good  style  of  archi- 
tecture, three  stories  in  height,  with  a lofty  square  tower  and 
grand  pillared  entrance.  The  lower  story  is  of  cut  stone,  the 
two  upper  of  stuccoed  brick.  It  has  apparently  been  allowed 
to  go  altogether  to  decay.  The  walls  are  blackened,  no  sashes 
till  the  window  openings,  and  in  one  quite  a large  bush  is 
vigorously  growing.  In  front  of  The  palace,  and  almost 
touching  it,  are  rows  of  miserable  mud-plastered  and  grass- 
thatched  huts — a suggestive  contrast  indeed.  I had  no  diffi- 
culty with  the  custom-house  officials,  and  found  quarters 
at  the  “ Hotel  Hispano- Americano,”  a grandiose  structure 
which  was  formerly  a palace  belonging  to  the  Lopez  family, 
but  which  the  sudden  changes  of  fortune  hereabout  have  now 
turned  into  a public-house.  There  are  two  stories,  each  of 
great  height.  There  is  a very  imposing  entrance,  with  mar- 
ble staircases,  right  and  left,  and  a vestibule  and  court-yard 
full  of  great  round  pillars.  The  stucco-work  embraces  sym- 
bols of  war,  peace,  music,  art  and  literature,  busts,  elaborate 
scrolls  and  flowers,  the  whole  painted  a delicate  pink  and 
green  upon  a white  ground.  In  the  center  of  the  tile-paved 
court  is  a well,  with  a beautiful  coping  cut  from  a single  block 
of  marble.  Here  also  are  marble  tables,  on  which  cooling 
refreshments  are  served.  The  corridors  are  hung  with  huge 
octagonal  lamps  of  stained  glass.  Down-stairs  are  bar  and 
billiard  rooms,  and  above  are  tile-floored  dwelling-rooms, 
which  are  separated  by  partitions  that  do  not  reach  the  ceil- 
ing by  as  much  as  four  feet.  This  gives  you  the  benefit,  not 
only  of  your  own  share  of  air,  but  also  of  other  people’s  con- 
versation, in  various  keys  and  unlimited  quantities. 

The  streets  of  Asuncion  are  badly  paved  with  huge  blocks 
of  stone,  and  are  a foot  deep  either  with  sand  or  mud,  accord- 


TOWARD  TEE  HEART  OF  TEE  CONTINENT.  105 

ing  to  the  season.  Four  horses  are  necessary  to  draw  even 
a small,  two- wheeled  cart  with  a light  load.  The  sidewalks 
are  very  narrow  and  of  brick.  They  strive  to  keep  the  level, 
and  this  makes  steps  frequently  necessary  at  the  corner  cross- 
ings. The  houses  are  painted  white,  yellow,  green,  or  pink, 
which  always  makes  a street  scene  a picturesque  one.  All 
the  windows  have  heavy  iron  gratings  and  green  jalousies. 
The  ground  upon  which  the  city  is  built  is  not  only  undu- 
lating, but  sweeps  quite  steeply  back  toward  the  east.  This 
topography  necessitates  a series  of  stone  terraces  in  many  of 
the  streets.  The  city  is  laid  out  in  chess-board  fashion,  with 
an  avenue  in  the  center,  called  Calle  Independence  Nacional, 
running  from  east  to  west,  from  which,  as  in  Buenos  Ayres, 
the  numbers  of  the  houses  divergingly  increase,  and  each 
street  running  north  and  south  has  two  names.  The  city  is 
poorly  lighted  by  kerosene-lamps,  which  are  bracketed  upon 
the  houses.  A tramway  extends  from  the  landing-place  up 
through  two  of  the  principal  streets  and  out  to  the  northern 
suburbs.  The  telephone  is  largely  used,  the  posts  for  the 
wires  being  the  trunks  of  palm-trees,  which  wTill  last  thirty 
years  or  more.  A telegraph  connects  Asuncion  with  Buenos 
Ayres,  as  do  also  two  lines  of  weekly  and  two  of  monthly 
steamers.  There  are  three  daily  newspapers  published  in 
Asuncion,  at  ten  cents  a copy.  Of  the  city  in  general  it 
may  be  said  that  it  presents  a semi-Oriental  and  semi-mediae- 
val appearance.  Palms  and  bananas  and  other  tropical  trees 
and  various  flowers  abound.  But  you  meet  few  people  in 
the  grass-grown  streets,  and  these  are  mostly  women — the 
male  population  having  been  nearly  annihilated  in  the  disas- 
trous war  with  Brazil,  which  lasted  five  years,  and  terminated 
in  1870.  The  census  shows  that  the  women  actually  out- 
number the  men  six  to  one.  It  is  like  a deserted  city,  deso- 
late, noiseless,  and  sad.  Yet  it  must  rise  again  ; its  situation  is 
good,  the  surrounding  country  is  fertile  and  beautiful,  and 
the  climate  is  healthy  and  enjoyable.  The  public  buildings 
are  few  and  not  specially  noteworthy,  except  perhaps  the 
oldest.  I have  already  spoken  of  the  palace  of  Lopez.  The 


166  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


town -hall  is  a two-story,  arclied,  and  corridored  building,  con- 
taining the  halls  of  Congress  and  the  offices  of  the  President 
and  ministers.  The  custom-house,  without  being  an  espe- 
cially fine  building,  is  well  adapted  to  its  purpose,  and  the 
same  may  be  said  of  the  railway-station  of  the  only  railway 
in  Paraguay,  that  which  runs  to  the  town  of  Paraguari, 
about  fifty  miles  to  the  eastward.  Lopez  intended  to  have 
built  a handsome  large  opera-house  of  modern  style,- which 
should  occupy  an  entire  square  ; but  it  never  got  beyond  the 
first  story,  as  it  now  stands,  a melancholy  ruin. 

I attended  mass  one  morning  at  the  cathedral,  a very 
large  old  edifice,  with  two  towers.  The  altar  was  ablaze 
with  candles,  arranged  in  ornamental  designs,  giving  it 
somewhat  the  appearance  of  a set  piece  of  fire-works.  A 
large  congregation  was  present,  and  among  them  were  a few 
Sisters  of  Charity  and  two  schools  of  children  under  their 
charge,  the  one  of  girls  dressed  all  in  white  with  white  veils 
and  shoes,  the  other  of  barefooted  girls  with  blue  veils.  The 
greater  part  of  the  congregation,  however,  consisted  of  na- 
tive women  in  white  or  gay-colored  cambric  dresses,  with 
black-crape  mantillas,  worn,  as  usual,  over  the  head.  These 
were  all  barefooted,  and  generally  carried  fans.  Besides 
these  were  a few  ladies  decked  in  ultra-French  style,  with 
enormous  plumed  hats,  black-silk  dresses,  and  high-heeled 
slippers.  As  usual,  in  South  American  churches,  the  men 
were  conspicuous  by  their  absence.  An  adjoining  little  gar- 
den contains  the  only  monument  in  Asuncion,  a tall  shaft  of 
brick  and  stucco,  surmounted  by  a figure  of  Liberty.  On  the 
pedestal  are  the  following  four  historical  inscriptions  : Foun- 
dation of  Paraguay,  15  August,  1536 — First  cry  for  Liberty, 
14  May,  1811 — Declaration  of  National  Independence,  25 
December,  1842 — Declaration  of  the  National  Constitution, 
25  November,  1870. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


A COUNTRY  OF  WOMEN. 

The  largest  market  of  the  city  occupies  an  entire  square. 
The  dealers  are  all  women.  I found  the  outer  corridor  filled 
with  the  wares,  spread  upon  the  floor,  of  those  who  could 
afford  to  pay  only  a small  rent.  Inside  were  rows  of  tables, 
and  benches,  and  racks.  Between  the  corridor  and  the  in- 
terior was  a series  of  small  shops  of  miscellaneous  merchan- 
dise. The  market  was  well  supplied.  The  river  furnishes 
an  abundance  of  fish ; a great  variety  of  vegetables  are  cul- 
tivated in  the  immediate  neighborhood ; various  kinds  of 
meat  are  raised  on  the  best  cattle-farms  of  the  interior ; and 
fruit  grows  everywhere  wild  and  in  profusion.  The  wom- 
en had  for  sale  also  heaps  of  bread,  dishes  of  butter, 
piles  of  white  cheese,  cream  in  stone  jugs,  maize,  bouquets, 
and  native  beer,  made  from  sugar-cane,  in  mugs.  The  mar- 
ket was  filled  to  overflowing  with  the  women  traders  and 
their  customers,  also  women.  The  chatter  and  chaffering 
were  almost  deafening.  Outside,  one  flank  of  the  whole 
road  was  blocked  with  other  venders,  their  wares  spread  be- 
fore them  on  mats  upon  the  ground,  the  scant  portions  of 
food  offered  for  sale,  and  the  small  coins  displayed,  betoken- 
ing the  simplicity  of  habits  as  well  as  the  poverty  of  the 
common  people.  In  Asuncion  the  market-women  have  no 
carts  or  carriers  whereby  to  send  purchases  home.  The  pur- 
chaser must  take  his  basket,  pan,  pail,  or  paper  with  him. 
Large  pans  seemed  to  be  the  favorite  utensil,  and  these,  filled 
with  the  marketing  for  the  day,  or  often  for  several  days, 
the  women  gracefully  carry  poised  upon  their  heads,  a hand- 


168  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 

kerchief  alone  intervening.  Everything  is  carried  in  this 
manner,  and  always  without  a spill — huge  baskets  of  eggs,  a 
closed  nmbrella,  great  jars  of  water,  and  likewise  empty  jars. 
These  last  are  frequently  borne  in  a very  coquettish  manner, 
resting  securely  at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees.  The  hands 
are  never  employed  to  steady  anything  conveyed  upon  the 
head.  It  is  otherwise  in  Egypt  and  India,  where  one  hand 
or  both  are  in  frequent  requisition.  The  middle  and  lower 
class  women  all  walk  barefooted,  and  this  carrying  of  heavy 
weights  upon  the  head  greatly  strengthens  the  spine,  and 
gives  them  the  same  graceful  carriage  for  which  the  Hindoo 
women  are  famous. 

The  women  of  Asuncion  generally  dress  in  white  or 
light-colored  skirts,  and  a chemise  neatly  embroidered  with 
lace  and  cut  very  low  upon  the  bosom.  These  are  their  sole 
garments  within-doors,  the  climate  being  warm  and  equable. 
For  the  street,  a loose  white  cotton  scarf  is  added,  and  this  is 
worn  upon  the  head  and  shoulders  like  the  black  mantilla. 
The  skirt  is,  of  course,  bound  around  the  waist,  and  combines 
with  the  front  of  the  chemise  to  form  a pouch  for  holding 
money  and  cigars,  there  being  no  regular  pocket  anywhere. 
The  hair  of  these  women  is  brushed  straight  back  from  the 
forehead,  braided  in  a great  mass,  and  secured  with  a gilt 
comb.  Flowers  are  occasionally  added  behind,  or  worn  above 
the  ears,  between  them  and  the  head,  and  this  latter  custom 
has  quite  as  pleasing  an  effect  as  the  former,  when  you  be- 
come accustomed  to  it.  Gold  pendent  ear-rings  are  generally 
worn,  and  sometimes  a necklace  of  gold  and  coral  beads. 
The  young  girls,  with  their  brown  satin  skin,  their  symmet- 
rical features,  pearly  teeth,  piercing  black  eyes,  and  dense 
black  hair,  are  often  very  beautiful ; while,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  old  women,  wrinkled,  blear-eyed,  crooked,  and  at- 
tenuated, are  frightful  specimens  of  moribund  humanity. 
While  the  disuse  of  shoes  and  stockings  so  largely  helps  in 
giving  the  women  their  elegant  pose  and  walk,  it  rather  de- 
forms the  feet,  spreading  the  toes  sometimes  quite  half  an 
inch  apart,  and  producing  the  flat,  fan- shape  termed  splay- 


A COUNTRY  OF  WOMEN. 


169 


foot.  In  Paraguay,  as  in  Burmah,  all  ages  and  botli  sexes 
are  constant  smokers.  When  the  cigar  is  not  alight,  they 
are  busy  chewing  the  end.  A small,  coarse  roll  of  native 
tobacco  is  used,  and  as  the  cigars  thus  manufactured  are  not 
well  made,  they  seem  most  of  the  time  to  be  extinguished. 
It  took  me  quite  a while  to  get  used  to  the  spectacle  of  a 
pretty  girl  smoking  a great  cigar  an  inch  in  diameter.  So 
few  men  are  seen  in  Paraguay  that  I had  almost  forgotten  to 
speak  of  them,  and  in  fact  have  very  little  to  say  concerning 
them.  Though  small,  they  generally  possess  a fine  muscular 
development.  They  are  lazy,  but  splendid  horsemen.  The 
true  native  wears  a white  shirt  and  baggy  trousers,  with  a 
gay-colored  sash  and  felt  sombrero , and  he  goes  barefoot. 
I have  hitherto  been  speaking  of  the  majority.  Others,  and 
of  course  the  upper  and  traveled  classes,  imitate  Europeans 
both  in  dress  and  in  manners.  Among  the  Paraguayans, 
Indian  blood  seems  to  predominate  to  a greater  degree  than 
among  any  of  the  other  Spanish-American  nations. 

The  influence  of  climate  in  forming  the  habits  of  a na- 
tion may  be  daily  observed  in  Asuncion.  From  five  until 
eight  o’clock  in  the  morning  the  streets  are  full  of  people 
marketing,  but  from  noon  till  2 p.  m.  you  may  traverse  the 
city  from  end  to  end  and  not  meet  a score  of  inhabitants.  It 
is  the  hour  of  the  siesta , the  hottest  part  of  the  day,  and  the 
people  are  either  breakfasting,  reading,  writing,  resting,  or 
most  probably  taking  a nap.  This  is  a universal  custom,  to 
which  the  foreign  resident  and  the  visitor  easily  surrender. 

Excepting  small  copper  coins,  the  only  currency  at  pres- 
ent in  circulation  in  Paraguay  is  paper.  . The  printing  on 
the  face  of  this  very  confidently  demands  the  Bank  of  Para- 
guay to  pay  the  bearer  for  each  paper  dollar  one  “ hard  ” or 
silver  dollar ; but  you  will  soon  find,  in  seeking  change  or 
making  a purchase,  that  this  paper  money  is  at  a deprecia- 
tion of  twenty-five  per  cent.  This,  however,  is  better  than 
in  the  Argentine  Pepublic,  whose  paper  currency  is  worth 
but  fifty-five  cents  on  the  dollar. 

The  Recoleta  is  the  largest  cemetery  of  Asuncion.  It  is 


170  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


situated  about  three  miles  to  the  north  of  the  city,  and  is 
reached  by  a mule  tramway.  The  road  led  through  long 
lines  of  orange  and  lemon  trees,  loaded  down  with  rich  gold- 
en fruit  of  great  size.  There  were  also  many  palms  and  ba- 
nanas, and  near  the  few  bamboo  and  mud  huts  which  we 
passed  were  gardens  of  beautiful  flowers — oleanders,  roses, 
pinks,  daisies,  and  gay-leaved  plants  in  profusion.  I was 
greatly  surprised  at  the  number  of  people,  most  of  them 
women  and  clothed  in  the  deepest  mourning,  going  in  the 
same  direction.  There  were  also  several  small  processions 
of  what  seemed  to  be  families,  following  great  black  wooden 
crucifixes.  I supposed  it  to  be  some  church  anniversary,  but 
was  hardly  prepared  for  the  sight  which  met  my  eyes  on 
reaching  the  Recoleta.  On  either  side  of  the  entrance  were 
a dozen  women  ranged  in  a row,  and  selling  bread,  sweet- 
meats, fruits,  flowers,  and  liquors.  The  burial  inclosure  is 
filled  with  black  wooden  crosses  and  mural  tombs,  a few  of 
the  latter  of  some  architectural  merit ; but  there  are  scarcely 
any  trees  or  flowers,  and,  as  with  the  neighboring  city,  every- 
thing is  unkempt  and  in  disorder.  An  old  church  is  con- 
nected with  the  Kecoleta  on  one  side,  and  on  the  other, 
strange  to  tell,  are  an  Italian  restaurant  and  beer-garden. 
At  this  point  also  a fine  flower  and  fruit  garden  flourishes. 
It  is  a very  nice  place  of  the  kind,  but  I do  not  remember 
ever  having  before  seen  the  quick  and  the  dead  under  such 
circumstances,  in  such  juxtaposition.  Instead  of  reminding 
me  that  in  the  midst  of  life  we  are  in  death,  it  suggested 
that  in  the  midst  of  death  we  may  be  very  much  alive.  En- 
tering the  Recoleta,  I saw  perhaps  a score  of  men  and  at 
least  five  hundred  women.  The  men  remain  uncovered  dur- 
ing their  stay  in  the  cemetery,  and  out  of  sympathy,  if  not 
courtesy,  I imitated  their  example.  It  seems  it  was  All- 
Souls’  day,  when  it  is  customary  for  Roman  Catholics  to 
visit  the  burial-places  of  their  relatives  and  friends,  to  weep 
and  pray  there,  to  decorate  the  graves  with  flowers,  to  sur- 
round them  with  burning  candles,  and  if  able  to  afford  the 
expense,  to  have  a sort  of  requiem  mass  celebrated.  There 


A COUNTRY  OF  WOMEN. 


171 


were  some  half-dozen  priests  going  about  from  tomb  to 
tomb,  followed  by  bands  of  music  embracing  violin,  clario- 
net, flute,  and  trumpet.  These  musicians  accompanied  the 
priests  in  their  drowsy  mutterings.  A black  cloth,  marked 
with  a gilt  cross,  would  be  thrown  upon  the  grave,  and  upon 
it  rows  of  lighted  candles  would  be  ' placed.  The  priest 
would  then  go  through  his  ritual  for  the  repose  and  salva- 
tion of  the  souls  of  the  dead,  standing  at  the  head  of  the 
grave,  which  he  sprinkled  with  holy  water.  Upon  one  side 
stood  the  musicians,  and  upon  the  other  stood  or  sat  the  rela- 
tives and  friends,  many  weeping,  but  many  also,  as  is  seen  in 
more  civilized  countries,  looking  serenely  at  the  passers-by. 
In  fact,  there  seemed  to  be  quite  as  many  people  drawn  to 
the  cemetery  by  curiosity  as  by  affection.  As  the  priests 
moved  from  grave  to  grave,  so  moved  the  gaping  crowd. 
The  higher  and  richer  classes  decorated  their  family  vaults 
with  splendid  wreaths  of  flowers,  and  stood  in  rows  before 
them,  their  lips  mechanically  mumbling  prayers,  while  the 
stranger  was  being  eagerly  scrutinized.  At  some  of  the 
graves  would  be  seen  a poor  woman  kneeling  in  the  dust,  to 
which  her  head  was  also  bowed,  and  which,  in  true  biblical 
fashion,  she  threw  over  herself,  uttering  meanwhile  the  most 
heart-rending  cries,  and  weeping  in  such  a violent  manner 
that  I feared  it  must  all  end  in  a fit.  The  cemetery  pre- 
sented a very  extraordinary  scene.  The  varied  costumes  of 
the  people,  the  beautiful  flowers,  the  gloomy-robed  priests, 
the  wild,  pathetic  music,  the  sobs  and  shrieks  of  the  mourn- 
ers coming  from  every  direction,  the  crowd  of  bustling  sight- 
seers, the  odd  forms  of  the  monuments,  the  quaint  old  church 
— in  which  I afterward  stumbled  across  a corpse  lying  quite 
unattended — the  palms  and  bananas  looming  beyond  the 
walls,  the  distant  forests — such  were  the  sights  and  sounds  at 
which,  alone,  and  bareheaded,  under  a tropical  sun,  I stood 
amazed.  Nothing,  however,  but  its  utter  strangeness  could 
have  caused  me  to  intrude  upon  the  touching  grief  of  these 
simple-minded,  faithful,  and  affectionate  people. 

From  Asuncion  I took  a railway  trip  east  ward  ly  into  the 


172  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


interior  of  Paraguay,  to  the  town  of  Paraguari,  already  men- 
tioned. The  fare  was  one  dollar  and  sixty  cents.  The  loco- 
motive and  carriages  were  of  English  fashion  and  manufact- 
ure. There  were  four  classes  of  passengers.  People  of  the 
fourth  were  in  open  box-cars,  without  seats  of  any  kind. 
These  cars  were,  however,  the  best  patronized  and  chiefly  by 
women.  The  road  was  a broad  gauge,  but  the  cars  were  low 
and  short.  Our  train  was  very  long — eight  passenger  and 
as  many  freight  cars,  some  of  them  full,  and  others  brought 
along  to  be  filled  on  the  return  journey.  The  engineer  was 
not  a foreigner,  as  I had  expected,  but  a Paraguayan.  We 
started  at  the  early  hour  of  5.30  a.  m.,  and  did  not  reach 
Paraguari  until  10.30  A.  m. — or  five  hours  for  a journey  of 
fifty  miles.  The  first  station  was  that  of  Trinidad,  where 
there  is  a splendid  old  and  curious  church  in  which  is  buried 
the  first  Lopez,  President  of  Paraguay,  and  father  of  the 
famous  general.  At  the  next  important  station  about  thirty 
women  appeared  at  our  car- windows,  wishing  to  sell  bread, 
meats,  cigars,  and  lace-work  of  a very  good  quality.  There 
were  also  many  beggars,  horribly  crippled  and  disfigured  by 
virulent  diseases.  We  went  on  through  mandioc-plantations, 
and  forests  containing  many  palms  and  bananas,  until  we 
caught  sight  of  a fine  range  of  hills  upon  the  left,  and  soon 
afterward  of  the  Lake  of  Ytacary,  upon  the  western  bank  of 
which  is  a German  colony,  called  San  Bernardino,  number- 
ing about  four  hundred  souls.  The  Paraguayan  Government, 
it  seems,  gives  free  farm-lots  of  sixteen  acres  to  each  unmar- 
ried and  thirty-two  acres  to  each  married  male  adult,  be- 
sides providing  free  passage  from  Buenos  Ayres,  and  giving 
advances  of  provisions  for  six  months,  a number  of  plows, 
and  a quantity  of  seed,  with  three  cows.  The  colonists  have 
some  hundreds  of  acres  under  potatoes,  beans,  etc. 

We  made  frequent  and  very  long  stops  where  there 
seemed  little  else  than  stations.  At  each,  and  also  in  the 
train,  were  great  crowds  of  women,  but  scarcely  a man — 
another  striking  illustration  of  the  results  of  the  late  war, 
and  of  the  present  disparity  of  the  sexes.  The  engineering 


A COUNTRY  OF  WOMEN. 


173 


obstacles  in  the  construction  of  this  road  must  have  been 
almost  nothing.  There  are  no  cuttings  or  fillings,  and 
scarcely  a bridge  of  any  size.  The  road  runs  along  the  great 
meadows  of  an  almost  level  valley,  four  or  five  miles  wide, 
with  but  a few  grass-thatched  mud  houses  appearing  here  and 
there,  and  with  low  ranges  of  wood-clad  hills  on  each  side. 
We  see  quite  a number  of  cattle  and  a few  sheep.  There  is 
no  tillage  save  tbat  of  the  small  vegetable  gardens  near  eacb 
house.  We  pass  a remarkable  cone-shaped  hill  and  an  oddly 
formed  table-topped  one,  and  soon  arrive  at  Paraguari,  the 
present  terminus  of  the  line,  though  it  has  been  graded  half- 
way to  the  town  of  Villa  Pica,  some  seventy  miles  distant, 
to  which  a coach  runs  once  a week.  The  town  or  rather 
village  of  Paraguari  lies  about  a quarter  of  a mile  to  the 
•southward  of  the  railway-station.  I proceeded  thither  in  a 
curious  two-wheeled  omnibus,  having  wheels  some  six  feet 
in  diameter,  with  one  horse  in  shafts  and  the  other  free, 
which  draws  by  means  of  a chain  attached  to  the  belly-band. 
Paraguari  I found  to  be  a small  village  of  not  more  than  one 
thousand  inhabitants,  laid  out  about  a great  grass-covered 
square,  in  the  center  of  which  is  the  market,  where  mandioc- 
roots,  oranges,  and  a good  supply  of  meats  and  vegetables, 
are  for  sale.  All  the  way  from  Asuncion  we  had  passed 
great  orange-orchards,  some  of  the  trees  being  thirty  feet  in 
height,  and  covered  with  the  luscious  fruit,  which  here  sells 
as  cheaply  as  one  dollar  per  thousand.  Around  the  square, 
in  simple  single-story  houses,  are  a few  stores,  a tinsmith’s, 
a blacksmith’s,  a bakery,  half  a dozen  shops  of  very  miscel- 
laneous merchandise,  and  a hotel  kept  by  an  Italian.  Be- 
yond, and  scattered  at  intervals,  are  a few  mud-plastered  and 
tile-covered  huts.  In  the  garden  of  the  hotel  are  fine  grape- 
vines and  peach-trees  and  flowers— including  roses,  pinks, 
oleanders,  and  many  others  common  to  Northern  eyes. 
Around  the  village  are  great  grassy  plains,  and,  as  a border, 
ranges  of  low  hills,  with  here  and  there  an  isolated  peak,  and, 
near  the  railway-station,  two  precipitous  wood-covered  cliffs, 
which  form  about  the  only  really  picturesque  sight  since 


174  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


leaving  Asuncion.  The  country  hereabouts  would  not  differ 
very  much  from  the  central  Western  States  of  North  America, 
were  it  not  for  the  frequently  occurring  palm-trees,  which  of 
course  give  the  general  view  a tropical  flavor. 

From  Paraguari  a coach  runs  once  a week  in  a southerly 
direction,  reaching  some  of  the  richest  country  and  most 
valuable  farms.  It  is  intended  eventually  to  prolong  this 
route  to  Encarnacion,  on  the  upper  Parana,  and  opposite  the 
Argentine  town  of  Posadas.  But  the  present  very  limited 
rail  and  coach  lines  are  everywhere  supplemented  by  horse- 
back service,  the  real  communication  of  the  country.  The 
horses  are  gentle,  fast,  and  enduring.  The  saddles  most 
esteemed  are  of  English  make  or  pattern,  with  a very  wide 
girth — often  a foot  broad — which  is  not  fastened,  as  with  us, 
next  the  fore-legs,  but  upon  the  swell  of  the  belly,  or  even 
behind  it.  Two  girths  generally  are  used,  one  being  worn 
over  the  saddle  itself.  The  bridles  are  very  simple,  though 
the  bits  are  apt  to  be  heavy.  The  horses  are  trained  to  obey 
with  rapidity  and  exactness  the  slightest  turn  of  the  hand.  I 
noticed  many  carts  coming  into  Paraguari,  drawn  by  three 
yoke  of  oxen,  suspended  above  which  was  a long  pole  bearing 
bunches  of  feathers  for  driving  away  flies,  and  iron  goads  for 
spurring  dilatory  beasts.  The  carts  are  great,  two-wheeled 
fabrics,  with  cylindrical  hoods  of  hides  and  pliable  wood. 

On  leaving  Asuncion  my  plan  was  to  return  to  the 
Parana  and  ascend  it  to  the  Iguassu  River,  the  boundary 
between  Brazil  and  the  Argentine  Republic,  wishing  to  visit 
in  it  some  very  remarkable  and  little-known  falls,  and  return- 
ing thence  to  pass  over  by  land  to  the  Uruguay,  and,  de- 
scending it,  to  cross  again  the  Plata  to  Buenos  Ayres.  On 
November  4th,  therefore,  I left  the  capital  of  Paraguay  in 
the  Rio  Uruguay,  of  the  Lloyd  Argentine  line  of  steamers, 
which  runs  six  vessels  a month  between  Montevideo, 
Buenos  Ayres,  and  the  ports  of  the  lower  Parana  and  the 
Paraguay.  We  had  a great  many  passengers,  and  most  of 
them  were  bound  to  small  river-ports.  There  was  also  a 
good  deal  of  freight — fruits  and  vegetable  produce.  At  a 


A COUNTRY  OF  WOMEN. 


175 


station  a little  below  Asuncion  we  took  on  board  an  enor- 
mous quantity  of  large  oranges.  Immediately  upon  the  bank 
was  a great  heap  of  them,  fifty  feet  in  length,  twenty-five  in 
width,  and  four  in  depth.  These  were  all  brought  on  board 
in  flat  baskets,  holding  about  three  dozen  each,  carried  as 
usual  upon  the  head  by  women.  About  two  hundred  feet  of 
plank  had  to  be  traversed  from  shore  to  steamer,  and  all  the 
work  was  done  quite  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  under  the 
bare  sun,  and  with  a temperature  of  nearly  100°  Fahren- 
heit. These  women  have  splendidly  developed  figures,  and 
are  very  strong  and  enduring ; but  it  took  some  fifty 
of  them  nearly  five  hours  to  get  all  the  fruit  on  board. 
While  they  were  thus  engaged,  about  a dozen  men  sat  in  the 
shade  of  the  trees,  quietly  looking  on,  but  not  one  of  them 
assisting  in  any  manner.  It  was  so  hot  at  night  that  we 
were  all  compelled  to  sleep  upon  the  open  deck. 

The  next  morning  wre  reached  Corrientes,  where  I had 
already  stopped  on  my  upward  voyage.  It  is  a large  town, 
situated  on  high  but  level  ground,  about  fifteen  miles  below 
the  junction  of  the  Paraguay  and  the  Parana,  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  latter.  A half-dozen  little  side-wheel  steamers 
lay  at  anchor  abreast  of  the  town,  doubtless  for  the  navigation 
of  the  upper  Parana.  - There  is  no  custom-house  inspection, 
though  Corrientes  is  in  the  Argentine  Republic,  and  we  had 
come  from  Paraguay.  I find  an  ordinary  hotel  in  the  center 
of  the  town.  The  streets  are  quite  as  sandy  as  those  of  Asun- 
cion. They  are  fairly  wide,  however,  with  broad  sidewalks. 
In  the  principal  plaza  is  a tall  column  erected  to  Liberty, 
made  of  simple  brick  and  covered  with  stucco.  On  one  side 
of  the  plaza  a new  government-house  is  being  built,  on  the 
other  stand  the  police  headquarters,  formerly  the  old  Jesuit 
college,  a very  quaint,  old,  two-story  building,  with  a square 
tower,  and  cornices  in  quite  the  style  of  a mediaeval  fortress. 
The  plaza  also  contains  a biblioteca  popular,  or  circulating 
library,  which  is  open  for  two  hours,  morning  and  evening. 
In  a stroll  about  town  I found  a theatre,  a good  market,  a 
national  bank,  and  numerous  haberdashers. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


ON  THE  TRAIL  OF  THE  JESUITS. 

There  are  two  lines  of  steamers  running  from  Corrientes 
to  Itusaingo,  opposite  the  Apipe  rapids,  which  prevent  fur- 
ther navigation  upon  the  Parana,  except  by  light-draught 
vessels  in  times  of  high  water,  when  they  go  directly  through 
to  Posadas,  the  farthest  town  on  this  river,  although  there 
are  some  few  hamlets  still  higher  up.  Formerly,  in  the 
dry  season,  or  period  of  low  water,  people  went  up  or  around 
the  rapids  in  a canoe,  but  now  a coach  line  passes  along  the 
bank.  The  “ Posadas,”  of  one  of  the  companies  which  send 
boats  to  Itusaingo,  is  a fine  side-wheel  steamer,  with  state- 
rooms on  the  upper  deck,  like  the  large  Parana  steamers, 
but  I did  not  feel  like  waiting  four  days  in  so  dull  a place 
as  Corrientes,  and  accordingly  took  passage  in  a little  iron 
double-deck  screw-steamer,  about  sixty  feet  long  and  twenty 
broad.  Her  capacity  was  but  eight  passengers,  for  whom 
there  were  berths  in  the  combined  cabin  and  dining-saloon. 
The  fare  to  Itusaingo,  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles,  was  ten 
dollars.  Our  cargo  was  various,  consisting  of  wire  for  fences, 
mate  or  Paraguayan  tea,  alfalfa  or  clover,  sugar,  wine,  kero- 
sene, and  flour.  Besides  our . wood-burning,  high-pressure 
engine,  we  employed  a large  square  sail.  With  both,  how- 
ever, running  against  the  strong  current,  we  could  hardly 
make  more  than  six  miles  an  hour.  The  captain,  steward, 
and  several  of  the  crew  wrere  Italians.  The  old  J esuit  col- 
lege, with  its  castellated  tower,  was  a long  time  in  sight,  but 
Anally  it  faded  and  was  gone,  and  we  continued  within  a 
stone’s-throw  of  the  bank,  to  avoid  the  swiftly  running  cur- 


ON  THE  TRAIL  OF  THE  JESUITS. 


177 


rent  as  much  as  possible.  We  bad  not  gone  very  far  before 
our  engine  broke  down,  and,  after  being  nearly  driven  on 
shore  by  the  combined  force  of  wind  and  current,  we  were 
compelled  to  anchor  until  repairs  could  be  made. 

The  banks  of  the  upper  Parana,  like  those  of  the  Para- 
guay, can  scarcely  be  called  interesting.  They  are  flat,  covered 
with  coarse  grass  and  large  trees,  and  very  thinly  settled. 
This  is  true  of  them  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  the  Tguassu,  some 
two  hundred  miles  above  Posadas.  Beyond  that,  to  its 
source  in  Brazil,  the  river  is  almost  unknown.  Sailing-ves- 
sels are  non-existent.  The  only  inhabitants  seem  to  be  in  the 
water  and  air.  The  Parana  is  full  of  water-hogs,  alligators, 
and  large  fish  of  excellent  quality,  and  it  is  covered  with 
huge  water-fowl.  I shot  numbers  of  all  these,  except  per- 
haps of  the  alligators,  which  it  is  always  difficult  to  know 
whether  you  have  killed.  We  stopped  every  night  at  dusk 
for  wood,  and  did  not  go  on  until  morning.  We  lost  much 
time  in  landing  our  freight,  it  being  taken,  parcel  by  parcel, 
on  men’s  backs  up  the  steep  banks  and  on  to  the  center  of 
the  villages.  In  South  America,  as  in  Asia,  the  traveler 
must  be  armed  with  a great  amount  of  patience  and  urbanity. 
No  one  hurries,  no  one  attends  strictly  to  the  business  in 
hand.  As  with  African  negroes,  the  natives  play  and  sky- 
lark like  children  with  their  work,  for  of  course  it  is  under- 
stood that  what  is  not  done  to-day  may  always  be  done 
manana , to-morrow.  We  were  four  entire  days  in  reaching 
Itusaingo,  which  consists  of  only  a few  houses  on  a steep 
bluff.  Upon  the  shore  were  about  fifty  natives,  who  had 
come  down  to  witness  our  arrival.  As  the  coach  did  not 
leave  until  the  following  day,  we  were  obliged  to  pass 
another  night  aboard,  and  suffered  terribly  from  insect  pests. 
There  were  enormous  swarms  of  mosquitoes,  a poisonous 
biting  fly,  fleas,  a sort  of  gnat,  and  about  a dozen  varieties  of 
moths  and  beetles.  The  heat  was  very  oppressive,  and  the 
dew  like  a light  rain. 

I found  the  coach  for  Posadas  built  after  the  Swiss  dili- 
gence pattern,  with  four  wTheels,  two  benches  facing  each 
12 


178  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


other  behind,  and  a sort  of  coupe  front  division.  Beyond 
this  projected  a single  seat  for  the  use  of  the  driver.  This 
vehicle,  which  would  hold  eight  passengers,  is  the  national 
coach  of  all  the  River  Plate  countries.  The  team  consisted 
of  seven  mules  or  horses; — four  harnessed  abreast  to  the 
coach,  a pair  before  these,  and  the  whole  led  by  a horse 
attached  by  a long  lariat,  and  pulling  as  usual  by  his  girth 
alone.  This  horse  had  a rider ; the  two  behind  had  but  to 
follow;  and  reins  from  the  four  others  passed  up  to  the 
driver.  The  road,  or  rather  trail,  for  it  wTas  only  a track 
across  the  prairie,  was  so  bad  that  we  were  obliged  to  change 
our  animals  every  six  or  eight  miles.  We  rode  along  through 
the  open  plain,  not  far  from  the  Parana  River.  The  pampa 
of  these  countries  is  really  nothing  more  than  an  extensive 
grassy  plain,  bounded  on  all  sides  by  the  horizon.  There  is 
generally  not  a tree  or  shrub  of  any  kind  in  view,  and  when 
you  do  see  them  you  may  be  sure  they  are  cultivated  near 
some  farm-house.  Sometimes  the  grass  is  short  and  tine, 
but  more  often  coarse  and  high.  Cattle  and  horses  are  seen 
in  every  direction.  Here  one  first  makes  acquaintance  with 
the  Gavcho , or  native  horseman,  a rude  half-breed,  who  lives 
on  the  pampas  and  is  employed  in  catching  wild  horses  and 
slaughtering  cattle.  He  is  a small,  dark  man,  Very  stoutly 
built,  with  straight  black  hair  resting  on  his  shoulders,  scanty 
but  long  beard,  and  a physiognomy  generally  bespeaking 
hardihood,  a free,  wild  life,  and  an  intense  love  of  liberty. 
He  is  dressed  in  shirt  and  short  drawers,  over  which  he  wears 
a leathern  apron  with  deep  fringed  edges.  Of  course,  he  is 
barefooted,  and  upon  his  head  he  wears  a large,  soft,  black 
felt  hat.  lie  always  carries  a long,  sharp  knife  in  his  belt. 
He  sits  his  horse  like  a centaur ; in  fact,  these  people  are  born 
horsemen.  We  passed  a number  of  large  cattle-farms,  with 
their  clusters  of  small  houses  surrounded  by  trees  and  gardens. 
The  dwellings  of  the  G audios  were  very  numerous,  but, 
being  ordinary  mud-huts,  do  not  call  for  any  special  descrip- 
tion. At  one  place  in  the  road  we  passed  a gentleman  trav- 
eling in  his  private  carriage,  with  four  horses,  postilions,  and 


ON  THE  TRAIL  OF  THE  JESUITS.  179 

outriders.  It  was  an  extraordinary  equipage.  The  horses 
were  harnessed  quite  twenty  feet  from  the  carriage,  and,  all 
being  mounted,  of  course  there  was  no  driver.  We  encount- 
ered another  native,  with  his  wife  mounted  behind  him  on 
horseback. 

From  Itusaingo  to  the  town  of  Posadas  the  distance  is 
about  sixty-live  miles,  but  there  is  not  a single  resting-place 
on  the  road,  nor  a spot  where  anything  to  eat  may  be  had. 
The  country  does  not  even  now  seem  quite  secure  ; at  least 
all  my  companions  carried  weapons,  and  I,  having  been  fore- 
warned, did  the  same.  At  each  stopping-place  fresh  horses 
or  mules  would  be  caught  in  large  corrals  or  stock-yards,  and 
the  others  turned  loose  upon  the  prairie.  Late  at  night  we 
halted  and  prepared  for  sleep,  some  in  the  diligence,  others 
under  it.  But  first  we  made  a lunch  off  potted  meats,  bread, 
and  wine.  At  four  in  the  morning  we  arose,  drank  some 
warm  milk,  which  the  Gaucho  women  drew  fresh  for  us, 
and  started  on  again.  The  gently  undulating  plain  was 
covered  with  huge  ant-hills  of  brown  or  reddish  earth,  and 
perched  on  many  of  these  were  owls  and  other  birds.  I 
noticed  also  many  partridges  and  birds  of  gay  plumage,  but 
I heard  no  song.  We  passed  caravans  of  the  great  wagons 
of  the  country,  loaded  chiefly  with  mate , or  the  Jesuits’  tea, 
as  it  has  also  been  termed.  These  carts  had  wooden  wheels, 
six  or  seven  feet  in  diameter,  and  were  roofed  with  coarse 
straw  or  sometimes  with  tin.  In  them  is  placed  a central 
floor,  upon  which  the  drivers,  who  often  have  their  families 
with  them,  sleep  and  keep  their  cooking-utensils. 

Posadas,  the  capital  of  the  Argentine  province  of  Mis- 
siones,  I found  to  be  a little  town  built  of  brick,  and  laid 
out  at  right  angles,  with  a comfortable  house  for  the  gov- 
ernor, some  barracks  for  troops,  a few  stores  containing  a 
heterogeneous  stock,  a bank,  a club,  and  a hotel.  A detach- 
ment of  three  hundred  troops  is  stationed  here,  it  being  an 
outpost  of  the  Argentine  army.  Bugles,  drums,  and  the 
practicing  of  a brass  band  are  heard  all  day  long.  Posadas 
has  a weekly  newspaper,  several  hackney-carriages,  is  lighted 


180  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


with  kerosene-lamps,  and  is  connected  with  the  Uruguay 
River,  as  with  the  lower  Parana,  by  diligence,  the  one  the 
route  by  which  I had  arrived,  the  other  that  by  which  I in- 
tended to  depart. 

The  next  day  I went  to  Encarnacion,  a small  town  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river,  in  Paraguay,  and  about  a mile 
distant.  The  ferriage  is  by  means  of  large  sail-boats,  and 
the  fare  is  twenty  cents  a passenger.  In  the  stream  were 
lying  a small  gunboat,  a steam-tug  used  for  towing  cattle- 
barges,  and  a little  steamer  belonging  to  a wealthy  firm  of 
Buenos  Ayres — Messrs.  Uribi  & Co. — and  employed  at  in- 
frequent intervals  in  bringing  yerba-mate , or  tea-leaves,  from 
some  large  plantations  of  theirs  far  up  the  river.  It  was  in 
this  small  vessel  that  I proposed  ascending  the  Parana  as 
near  as  possible  to  its  branch,  the  Iguassu,  in  which  I wished 
to  visit  the  great  falls.  Encarnacion  consists  of  a single  long, 
broad  street,  running  directly  back  from  the  river  toward 
the  north.  About  a mile  in  the  interior  are  the  ruins  of  the 
old  Jesuit  reducciones , or  villages  of  converted  Indians.  The 
buildings  are  mostly  of  mud,  and  the  outlines  of  the  quad- 
rangle of  the  convent  may  be  readily  defined.  The  massive 
wooden  lintels  are  as  solid  as  when  originally  built.  The 
rooms  are  small,  and  some  of  them  contain  faint  frescoes  on 
the  walls.  The  wood-work  is  exactly  and  strongly  dove- 
tailed, and  there  are  turned  bars  in  the  windows.  The  old 
tiled  roof  is  in  some  parts  still  intact.  Other  remnants  of 
the  Jesuit  missions  are  scattered  about  this  province,  which 
is  appropriately  named  Missiones — regions  where  mission- 
aries preach  the  gospel  among  the  heathen — in  which  the 
stone  carving  and  masonry  are  still  shown  in  capital  preser- 
vation. 

I was  obliged  to  wait  an  entire  week  in  Posadas  for  the 
departure  of  the  little  steamer,  of  which  I have  just  spoken, 
for  the  head  of  steam  navigation  on  the  upper  Parand,  a 
place  with  the  very  Indian-like  name  of  Tupurupucu.  It 
was  called  the  Carima,  and  was  an  iron  screw-boat,  about 
fifty  feet  in  length  by  twenty  in  width.  Our  captain — who 


ON  THE  TRAIL  OF  THE  JESUITS. 


181 


was  also  a merchant — was  a native  of  the  Argentine  Repub- 
lic, though  with  the  very  Moorish  name  of  Abdon  Ahumada. 
He  spoke  no  language  save  Spanish,  and  had  never  been  be- 
yond the  borders  of  his  own  country,  hut  he  was  well- 
informed,  refined,  and  genial,  and  I soon  began  to  esteem 
him  as  one  of  the  best  friends  I had  made  in  South  America. 
If  these  lines  should  ever  come  to  his  sight,  he  may  be  as- 
sured that  I am  more  than  grateful  for  his  many  kindnesses, 
and  that  I can  never  forget  his  charming  companionship  on 
those  romantic  days  and  nights  in  the  solitudes  of  the  Pa- 
rand,  and  the  Iguassu.  Our  engineer  was  also  an  Argentine, 
the  pilot  was  a Portuguese,  and  the  crew  were  Paraguyans, 
who  spoke  only  Guarani,  the  great  Indian  dialect  of  central 
South  America.  There  were  half  a dozen  passengers  besides 
myself.  We  were  provided  with  wooden  shelves  to-  sleep 
upon,  but  had  to  furnish  our  own  bedding.  The  berths  and 
the  dinner-table  were  in  one  and  the  same  room,  at  the  stern. 
The  pilot-house  was  forward,  high  above  the  deck,  and  here, 
under  a large  wooden  roof,  was  room  for  the  passengers  to 
sit  and  obtain  unobstructed  views  of  the  river  and  its  banks, 
and  to  enjoy  whatever  breeze  might  be  stirring.  We  towed 
three  sloops  and  several  canoes,  which  descend  the  river 
with  the  current  very  well,  but  which  can  only  return,  and 
slowly,  with  a strong  favoring  wind.  Our  steamer  can  go 
down  the  river  in  less  than  half  the  time  required  for  the 
ascent,  and  upon  the  upward  journey  is  chiefly  loaded  with 
wood  for  the  boilers.  The  crew  occupied  half  the  first  day 
in  cutting  up  a couple  of  bullocks,  and  hanging  the  flesh  in 
thin  slices  or  strips  upon  ropes  stretched  about  the  steamer. 
It  thus  dries  and  cures  in  the  sun  and  wind,  and  becomes 
what  we  style  “ jerked  ” beef. 

During  the  first  day  both  banks  were  high,  diversified  in 
outline,  and  densely  covered  with  large  trees.  There  were 
no  towns  or  villages ; but  at  long  intervals  solitary  huts,  or 
boats  drawn  upon  the  sandy  beaches,  betokened  the  presence 
of  the  wood-cutter  or  herdsman.  The  burning  forests  indi- 
cated the  clearing  of  land  in  many  places.  We  met  but  few 


182  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA.  . 


sailing-craft,  all  of  slight  tonnage.  About  fifteen  miles  from 
Posadas  we  pass,  upon  the  south  bank,  a large  brick  sugar- 
factory,  belonging  to  the  Governor  of  Missiones,  who  owns  a 
large  plantation  hereabouts.  In  this  place  we  leave  two  of  our 
passengers.  At  night  we  anchor  just  below  some  dangerous 
rapids,  which  extend  nearly  across  the  river,  and  going  ashore 
we  visit  a native  known  to  some  of  our  number.  It  is  a 
very  hot  night,  and  the  air  is  thick  with  every  sort  of  insect ; 
so  we  find  the  gentleman  sitting  under  some  trees  near  his 
hut,  busily  engaged  in  adding  fuel  to  a great  fire  he  has 
built  to  help  drive  the  pests  away.  He  is  surrounded  by  his 
wife  and  six  little  children,  all  but  naked,  while  five  dogs 
completed  the  company.  The  man  had  the  Christ  type  of 
face  as  painted  by  Salvator  Posa,  with  pointed  beard  and 
enormous  mop  of  black  hair  parted  in  the  middle.  The 
children  were  engaged  in  shelling  beans,  somewhat  like  those 
which  we  call  Lima  beans.  These,  together  with  cassava, 
the  starchy  substance  prepared  from  the  mandioc-root,  and 
fish  from  the  great  river,  constitute  almost  the  sole  food  of 
these  poor  people. 

At  daylight  fwe  steam  on,  stopping  now  to  leave  one  of 
our  towed  flotilla,  now  a passenger,  and  now  to  send  merely 
a few  letters  ashore.  The  banks  were  wild  and  deserted, 
though  occasionally  we  saw  the  huts  of  the  wood-cutters. 
The  timbers  of  this  part  of  the  country  are  very  hard,  and 
serviceable  for  building  purposes.  With  the  mate  they  con- 
stitute about  the  only  commercial  products  of  the  Upper 
ParanA  The  only  animal  life  in  sight  wxre  white  and  yel- 
low butterflies.  Sometimes  the  whole  river  would  be  cov- 
ered with  millions  of  these,  in  clouds  ten  feet  above  the  sur- 
face, and  the  sandy  shore  would  be  for  miles  colored  with 
the  varying  tints  of  their  wings.  So  distinct  and  solid  was 
this  color  that  at  first  I mistook  it  for  some  sort  of  fungus 
growth.  During  the  day  the  river  narrowed  to  half  a mile. 
It  preserved,  howTever,  its  previous  characteristics  of  tortu- 
ousness, forest-clad  banks,  and  in  a few  places  a current  so 
swift  that  it  could  be  stemmed  only  with  the  greatest  diffi- 


ON  TEE  TRAIL  OF  TEE  JESUITS. 


183 


culty.  At  niglit  we  anchored  as  before,  bnt  suffered  greatly 
from  the  heat,  from  large  moths  which  dashed  continually 
against  our  faces  and  necks,  and  from  thousands  of  stinging, 
creeping,  biting,  ill-looking,  noxious  vermin. 

The  next  morning  at  daybreak  we  continue  our  slowly 
advancing  voyage.  During  the  day  an  iguana  was  seen  swim- 
ming across  the  river.  Large  birds  were  also  observed  stand- 
ing upon  the  banks,  and  there  were  foot-prints  in  the  sand  of 
tapirs  which  had  come  down  to  drink.  The  river  narrowed 
to  a quarter  of  a mile.  It  is  quite  ten  feet  below  its  highest 
level,  as  I could  see  by  great  bare  flats  of  rough,  black,  flinty 
rocks,  and  large  mounds  of  the  purest  and  finest  white  sand. 
We  stopped  at  San  Lorenzo,  a few  huts  on  the  Paraguayan 
side,  and  again  at  Piray,  on  the  Argentine  side.  Here  I met 
a Dane,  a shopkeeper,  whom,  together  with  Senor  Ahumada, 
I invited  to  accompany  me  to  the  falls  of  the  Iguassu.  We 
anchored  near  some  wood-cutters,  friends  of  the  Dane,  and 
after  dinner  went  on  shore  to  call  upon  them.  On  ascend- 
ing the  very  steep  bank,  I found  several  large  houses  built 
simply  of  bamboo-stems,  some  distance  apart,  with  grass- 
thatched  roofs.  The  construction  of  these  huts  was  admi- 
rably adapted  to  admit  insects  as  well  as  air,  while,  of  course, 
forbidding  any  privacy  to  the  inmates.  The  people,  how- 
ever, are  anything  but  squeamish.  Adjoining  the  huts  was 
a sort  of  small  shed,  quite  open  on  most  sides,  and  here  were 
the  beds — simple  platforms  of  twigs,  with  blanket  and  pillow 
— where  the  people  slept,  somewhat  protected  by  small  smol- 
dering fires  against  the  regular  nightly  visitors.  They  thus 
succeed  in  driving  away  a few  insects,  by  half  suffocating 
themselves  with  smoke.  Hear  by  were  gardens  of  maize 
and  a few  flowers.  In  a rough  inclosure  of  bamboos  was  a 
horse,  under  a tree  was  a cow,  and  'scattered  promiscuously 
about  were  half  a dozen  wretched  curs  and  a couple  of  very 
nice,  sleek  cats.  Though  these  natives  always  have  milk, 
and  make  excellent  cheese,  they  know  nothing  of  butter. 
There  was  a commodious  pool  of  fresh  water,  which  is 
brought  thither  in  a bamboo  trough  several  hundred  yards 


184:  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


long,  from  a cool  spring  away  np  in  the  hills.  A bathing- 
house  for  the  ladies  had  been  improvised  in  the  woods,  by 
simply  stretching  a piece  of  coarse  cloth  between  two  trees, 
the  three  remaining  sides  being  uninclosed.  This  reminded 
me  of  the  manner  in  which  the  Chinese  used  to  build  their 
forts,  thinking  it  discourteous  for  an  enemy  to  intrude  at  the 
rear.  We  entered  the  larger  hut*  and  took  seats  in  hammocks, 
or  upon  empty  boxes.  A large  table  at  one  side  held  all  the 
culinary  furniture.  A small  table  contained  a candle,  the 
sole  illumination,  and  some  ornaments,  among  which  was  a 
very  ingeniously  constructed  toothpick-holder,  made  of  two 
large  toucan-bills  standing  upon  alligators’  teeth.  This  was 
the  work  of  the  lady  of  the  hut,  a very  pretty  and  sweetly 
innocent-looking  girl.  Her  husband,  a fine,  muscular  young 
fellow,  at  once  ordered  the  courtesy  of  Paraguayan  tea,  which 
for  some  time  circled  round  the  company,  amid  great  talking 
and  laughing,  the  pretty  girl  being  especially  amused  by  two 
young  gallants  of  our  steamer’s  company.  At  my  sugges- 
tion the  charming  hostess  brought  forth  some  more  of  her 
clever  handicraft,  a fan  made  of  the  gaudy  feathers  of  sev- 
eral birds,  with  an  enormous  toucan-bill  for  a handle.  This 
was  a work  of  art  which  would  have  brought  fifty  dollars  in 
Hew  York.  These  natives  are  as  simple  and  ingenuous  as 
children,  laughing  at  everything,  and  all  talking  and  shout- 
ing together  in  a most  diverting  manner.  They  smoke  in- 
cessantly, either  mites  of  Paraguayan  cigars,  or  cigarettes 
covered  with  bamboo-leaves.  Physically  speaking,  they  are 
superb  specimens  of  humanity.  Their  costume  is,  for  the 
men,  simply  a fancy-colored  shirt  and  loose  drawers,  with  a 
large  felt  hat,  and  often  a gay-colored  bandanna  about  the 
neck.  They  generally  go  barefooted,  or  sometimes  wear 
aljpargatas , or  slippers  made  of  hemp,  which  are  not  only 
cool  but  durable.  The  dress  of  the  women  is  no  less  sim- 
ple, being  merely  a chemise  and  skirt,  though,  with  the  taste 
and  coquetry  common  to  the  sex  everywhere,  they  generally 
manage  to  add  attractions  here  and  there,  such  as  jewelry, 
flowers  above  the  ears,  embroidery  upon  chemises,  or  fancy 


OF  TEE  TRAIL  OF  TEE  JESUITS. 


185 


neckerchiefs.  All  this  is  very  pleasing,  but  not  so  their  cus- 
tom of  going  barefooted.  The  women  generally  speak  Gua- 
rani, but  I often  found  that  the  men  spoke  Spanish  also,  more 
or  less  correctly.  At  night  we  were  overwhelmed  with  thou- 
sands of  mosquitoes,  which  of  course  made  sleep  an  utter  im- 
possibility. How  lovely  and  enjoyable  the  tropics  would 
everywhere  be,  but  for  the  ever-accompanying  creepers  and 
fliers  which  sing  and  sting ! 

At  daylight  we  were  off  again,  the  river  being  now  but 
a few  hundred  yards  in  width  and  lined  by  dark  rocks  of  a 
volcanic  appearance,  as  if,  when  molten,  they  had  been  sud- 
denly cooled  and  stiffened.  On  both  sides  of  the  Parana 
there  are  many  tributaries,  but  the  Iguassu  is  the  first  of 
any  special  size.  This  river  rises  in  southern  Brazil,  near 
the  Atlantic,  flows  almost  due  west,  and  forms  the  boundary- 
line between  that  empire  and  the  Argentine  Republic.  This 
morning  we  passed  the  mouth  of  the  Hacunday,  which  has 
a beautiful  fall  partly  in  sight  from  the  Parana.  I also  saw 
the  house  of  Senor  Adam,  an  Italian,  who  has  lived  here  fif- 
teen years.  He  has  a large  farm  of  maize  and  sugar-cane.  In 
his  garden  is  a cascade,  forty  feet  high,  in  the  midst  of  palms, 
ferns,  and  bananas,  which  are  full  of  parrots,  toucans,  and 
brilliant  butterflies.  At  night  we  visit  a small  waterfall  in 
the  river  Itupi,  and,  though  nearly  devoured  by  sand-flies, 
succeed  in  getting  a delicious  bath.  The  next  morning  we 
pass  the  mouth  of  the  river  Monday,  six  miles  up  which 
there  is  said  to  be  a fine  fall  of  water.  The  general  course 
of  the  Parana,  since  leaving  Posadas,  has  been  nearly  from 
north  to  south,  but  nevertheless  it  is  exceedingly  tortuous,  and 
as  you  advance  the  channel  runs  first  upon  one  side  and  then 
the  other,  doubling  and  twisting  in  most  erratic  fashion. 
Then  there  is  the  swiftly  running  and  eddying  current  al- 
ways at  hand,  to  drive  you  either  on  rock  or  shore  — so 
that  altogether  a specially  trained  and  experienced  pilot  is 
required  for  Upper  Parana  navigation. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


THE  NIAGARA  OF  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

About  noon,  on  the  fifth  day  from  Posadas,  we  anchor  at 
the  month  of  the  Xguassu,  here  a river  about  a thousand 
feet  in  width  and  seventy  feet  in  depth,  with  dark-green 
water,  which  contrasts  to  great  advantage  with  the  dirty- 
yellow  flood  of  the  Parana.  At  this  point  the  steamer  is  to 
await  my  return  from  the  falls,  a distance  of  twenty  miles, 
which  I expect  to  accomplish  in  two  days.  My  party  is  soon 
complete,  and  all  arrangements  are  perfected.  Those  who 
are  to  accompany  me  are  Senor  Ahumada,  the  Dane,  the 
quartermaster,  the  cook,  and  seven  Paraguayan  sailors.  We 
are  to  go  at  first  in  a canoe,  about  thirty  feet  long  and  five 
feet  wide,  and  afterward  on  foot,  through  the  primitive  forest. 
The  canoe  is  made  of  planks,  with  a flat  bottom,  stout  ribs, 
and  sharp  ends,  and  is  propelled  by  paddles  about  six  feet  in 
length,  the  men  standing  or  sitting  on  the  gunwale  to  ply  them. 
Three  or  four  paddle  near  the  prow,  and  one  paddles  and 
steers  in  the  stern.  We  have  a rifle,  shot-gun,  revolvers,  and 
bowie-knives,  and  consider  ourselves  amply  protected.  The 
provisions  for  my  friends  and  myself  are  in  tins  and  .bottles, 
and  for  the  men  a quantity  of  jerked  beef,  mandioc,  and  bis- 
cuit is  provided.  After  paddling  up-stream  for  a short  time, 
the  men  think  better  progress  can  be  made  by  going  on  shore 
and  towing  the  canoe  by  a long  rope,  taking  turns  at  this 
arduous  work,  which,  however,  considering  the  swift  current, 
advances  us  more  rapidly  than  by  paddling.  It  is  extremely 
hot,  and  we  extemporize  an  awning  out  of  our  ponchos.  The 
shores  are  steep  and  covered  with  great  black  rocks,  tilted  in 


THE  NIAGARA  OF  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


187 


every  direction,  and  I find  among  them  fine  specimens  of 
agate,  crystals,  and  beautifully  polished  pebbles.  Occasion- 
ally we  come  to  long,  sandy  beaches,  and  notice  many  shells 
and  the  tracks  of  tigers,  water-hogs,  tapirs,  wTild  fowl,  and 
young  alligators.  I see  one  of  the  latter  on  the  shore,  and 
also  two  seals  crossing  the  river.  The  banks  are  at  first  some 
three  or  four  hundred  feet  in  height,  and  are  densely  covered 
with  primitive  forest.  A short  distance  from  the  mouth  of 
the  river  we  pass  a series  of  rapids,  which,  however,  are  not 
very  tempestuous.  I observe  many  large  and  small  fish  in 
the  water,  some  of  the  large  ones  being  of  a beautiful  blue 
and  white  color,  and  as  much  as  fifty  pounds  in  weight.  I 
try  to  have  a shot  at  some  black  ducks,  but  can  not  get  within 
range.  It  is  interesting  to  see  the  manner  in  which  the  men 
tow  the  boat — now  running  along  the  sand,  now  clambering 
over  the  rocks  like  so  many  monkeys,  next  swimming  around 
some  outlying  bowlders  in  which  the  drag-rope  is  sure  to  get 
entangled,  and  then  in  the  water  up  to  their  necks  pushing 
and  lifting  the  canoe  with  all  their  strength.  The  river  is 
tortuous,  and  with  its  fine  green  banks  and  black  rocks,  its 
dark  water  and  rushing  rapids,  presents  altogether  a pictur- 
esque sight.  I take  my  seat  in  the  bow,  and,  with  a wave  of 
my  hand  and  about  the  only  words  of  Guarani  I possess,  sig- 
nify the  position  of  rocks  to  our  steersman  sitting  in  the 
stern ; for  the  river  is  full  of  sunken  rocks,  and  its  bed  is  of 
little  else  than  honey-combed  reefs,  which  account  for  the 
continually  eddying,  swirling  water.  The  men  pi  ay  at  their 
work,  and,  as  one  or  another  is  swTept  off  his  feet  by  the  tow- 
'rope  or  by  the  oozy  bank,  afford  us  quite  as  much  amuse- 
ment as  themselves.  We  stop  frequently,  for  the  men  must 
have  their  mate,  and  as  often  as  they  find  a cool  spring  I like 
to  drink  myself,  though  on  all  such  occasions  we  are  nearly 
devoured  by  a species  of  large  black  fly. 

I land  on  the  north  bank,  my  first  visit  to  Brazil,  and  take 
a long  walk  in  search  of  wild  men  or  animals,  the  latter  pre- 
ferred, and  small  ones  at  that.  This  part  of  Brazil  is  sparsely 
settled,  or  rather  infested,  by  the  Tupi  Indians,  who  are 


188  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


quite  savage.  • I desired  to  study  them  from  an  ethnographic 
stand-point,  but,  as  they  are  said  to  have  a very  disagreeable 
habit  of  shying  arrows  from  behind  trees  at  too  inquisitive 
strangers,  it  is  perhaps  just  as  well  that  my  curiosity  was  not 
gratified.  JSTight  coming  on,  I enter  our  boat  and  cross  over 
to  the  Argentine  side,  and  camp  for  the  night  on  the  sandy 
bank,  under  the  stars  and  insects.  I say  “ under  the  insects” 
advisedly,  for  we'  were  literally  covered  with  insects  as  with 
a blanket.  So  enormous  were  their  quantity  and  voracity, 
that  I doubt  if  any  of  us  slept  an  hour,  except  those  boatmen 
wrho  covered  their  heads  with  their  ponchos.  There  were 
moths,  butterflies,  mosquitoes,  gnats,  sand-flies,  fleas,  spiders, 
ants,  etc.,  etc.  The  moths  had  short,  thick,  black  bodies  and 
* wings  of  a dark  green.  They  circled  and  circled,  and 
whisked  and  brushed  about  you,  until  you  were  nearly  driven 
mad.  Despite  the  danger  of  alligators,  though  they  are 
small  and  few  in  the  Iguassu,  we  all  took  a swim  in  the  river 
before  supper,  but  found  the  water  far  too  wTarm  for  comfort. 
The  temperature,  in  fact,  was  very  high  by  day  and  by 
night.  The  rocks  over  which  I had  climbed  during  the  after- 
noon were  so  hot  you  could  not  hold  your  hand  upon  them 
longer  than  a few  seconds.  We  made  a fire,  and  the  men 
took  great  slabs  of  jerked  beef,  which  they  strung  upon  sap- 
lings and  prepared  to  roast.  This  was  soon  served  up,  sim- 
ply in  its  own  fat,  and,  though  a little  tough,  it  was  not  bad 
eating  for  a hungry  man.  The  meat  being  cooked,  each  man 
advanced  and  cut  with  his  bowie-knife  from  the  general 
stock.  The  same  stout,  two-edged  instrument  was  used  also 
to  split  our  adamantine  biscuits,  and  it  was  interesting  to 
observe  how  polite  all  were  : no  one  put  his  knife  in  his 
mouth.  We  washed  down  our  supper  with  sugar-cane  rum 
and  water,  a single  cup  being  passed  around  the  circle. 
After  this  meal  there  was  a brief  interval  of  talk,  story,  and 
song,  and  then  we  all  lay  down  upon  the  hard,  clayey  bank, 
upon  single  blankets,  with  ponchos  at  hand  to  cover  us  in  the 
early  morning.  Our  boots  served  admirably  for  pillows. 
We  heard  so  many  wild  animals  crying  in  the  forests,  that 


THE  NIAGARA  OF  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


189 


I deemed  it  prudent  that  two  men  at  a time-  should  watch 
during  the  night,  armed,  the  one  with  the  gun  loaded  with 
buckshot,  and  the  other  with  the  Remington  rifle,  while  each 
of  my  party  had  a knife  or  a revolver  under  his  head.  The 
fire  was,  of  course,  kept  up  all  night,  and  the  watch  was  to 
be  changed  once.  And  thus,  wTith  millions  of  insects  upon, 
around,  above,  under,  and  partly  through  us,  we  tried  to 
sleep,  my  thermometer  indicating  95°  at  eight  o’clock  in  the 
evening.  But  for  the  full  moon  and  beautiful  Southern  Cross 
above  me,  the  gently  murmuring  river  at  my  feet,  and  the 
dark  forest  walls  beyond,  I should  have  been  quite  willing  to 
confess  that  the  explorer’s  life  is  not  altogether  a happy  one. 
All  things  save  eternity,  I suppose,  must  end,  and  that  fear- 
ful night  at  last  really  did  finish  its  horrid  existence,  and  we  * 
were  all  only  too  eager  to  start  at  daylight. 

The  high  banks  presented  the  same  general  appearance, 
but  the  rocky  shores  increased  in  savage  grandeur.  There 
were  fewer  rapids,  and  we  were  able  to  paddle  for  some  time, 
half  of  us  walking  in  order  to  lighten  the  boat  and  thereby 
hasten  somewhat  our  progress.  But  soon  I plainly  saw  that  we 
could  go  no  farther  by  canoe,  the  current  being  far  too  power- 
ful, and  giving  conclusive  evidence  of  furious  rapids  above. 
So,  after  a consultation,  we  made  the  canoe  fast  until  our  return 
from  the  falls,  and  each  one  loaded  the  canvas  haversacks, 
previously  provided,  with  his  share  of  the  food  and  baggage, 
and  proceeded  to  walk,  or  rather  clamber,  over  the  rocks  upon 
the  south  side  of  the  river.  The  really  arduous  part  of  the 
journey  now  began,  and  I should  recommend  succeeding 
travelers  not  to  make  the  forced  march  that  I was  obliged  to 
undertake — because  I could  not  hire  my  men  for  a longer 
time — but  to  take  at  least  four  days  for  the  trip ; or,  if  they 
wish  to  see  the  falls  with  much  detail,  say  a total  of  ten  days. 
All  the  food  for  the  entire  journey  must  be  carried  with 
you ; for,  though  the  country  contains  game,  it  is  not  to  be 
depended  on.  Many  of  the  rocks  over  which  we  have  to 
climb  are  twenty  feet  square,  of  every  conceivable  shape, 
and  tilted  upon  their  ends  or  sides  in  the  wildest  confusion. 


190  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

These  rocks  have  a lava-like  look,  and  many  of  them  have 
circular  holes,  like  the  pot-holes  of  Switzerland  and  Norway, 
ground  into  them  by  whirling  pebbles  and  water.  The  sides 
of  others  next  the  river  are  linted  like  the  basaltic  pillars  of 
the  Giants’  Causeway,  in  Ireland,  but  these  on  the  Iguassu 
are  of  a yellowish,  clayey  color,  though  the  material  is  hard 
and  brittle.  As  we  slowly  toiled  on  and  over  and  between 
these  rocks,  the  heat  was  tremendous,  for  we  were  placed 
between  two  waves,  one  pouring  down  from  above,  the  other 
reflected  from  below.  At  eleven  o’clock  the  thermometer 
in  the  shade  read  115°  Fahrenheit,  and  two  of  my  party 
quite  broke  down,  the  one  a native  and  the  other  the  Dane. 
We  left  them  behind  to  rest  under  the  trees  until  afternoon, 
while  the  remainder  of  us  pushed  on  until  Anally  the  river- 
banks  became  so  precipitous  we  had  to  take  to  the  forest. 
Here  we  found  that  the  trail  made  by  a Brazilian  boundary 
commission  a few  years  ago  was  so  overgrown  that  we  had 
actually  to  hew  a tunnel  for  our  passage  through  the  matted 
verdure.  We  had  not,  however,  advanced  two  hundred  feet 
into  the  thicket  before  I heard  a jaguar  breathing  loud  and 
snarling,  as  if  he  also  were  irritated  by  the  oppressive  heat, 
lie  made  a tremendous  noise  by  his  stertorous  breathing, 
and  seemed  to  be  near  at  hand,  somewhere  upon  the  very 
hill  which  we  wrere  ascending.  This  was  the  first  creature 
that  I heard  in  the  woods ; the  first  creature  that  I saw  was  a 
greenish-black  snake,  about  four  feet  in  length.  I halved 
him  with  a blow  of  my  bowie-knife.  The  quartermaster 
informed  me  that  this  serpent’s  bite  was  fatal.  Wishing  a 
jaguar-skin  very  much  indeed,  I thought  it  a good  plan  to 
halt  and  order  dinner  prepared  while  I started  off  to  beard 
the  jaguar  in  his  den,  if  .indeed  he  happened  to  possess  so 
sequestered  an  article.  His  breathing  had  now  become  half 
a roar,  so  that  no  guide  to  his  neighborhood  was  needed. 
After  getting  into  a copse,  however,  where  it  was  impossible 
to  see  ten  feet  in  any  direction,  it  suddenly  and  very  impress- 
ively occurred  to  me  that  possibly  the  jaguar  also  might 
have  a passion  for  collecting  skins,  and  that  he  might  utilize 


THE  NIAGARA  OF  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


191 


that  propensity  by  seeing  me  first.  My  retreat  was  rapid,  but 
as  dignified  as  the  circumstances  permitted.  My  revolver 
carried  a forty-four-caliber  shot,  and  my  nerve  had  heretofore 
proved  so  available  that  I took  this  risk,  hoping  that  the 
brute  might  be  both  small  and  unsociable,  though  of  course 
it  would  have  been  better  for  me  to  have  a good  repeating- 
rifle  and  more  open  ground.  The  forest  contains  many  ani- 
mals besides  snakes  and  jaguars,  such  as  tapirs,  deer,  wild 
pigs,  monkeys,  squirrels,  partridges,  and  wood-turkeys. 

The  profusion  of  insect-life  in  this  forest  I have  never  seen 
equaled  anywThere,  excepting  in  some  of  the  lowlands  of  Siam, 
and  I have  no  desire  to  see  it  equaled  again.  You  have  a 
choice  of  evils : either  to  let  the  vermin  settle  upon  you — for 
it  is  useless  to  brush  them  off,  since,  before  your  hands  cease 
their  motion,  quite  as  many  as  before  are  upon  you — or  to 
keep  no  portion  of  your  body  uncovered,  which  is  unbearable 
in  such  a hot,  steamy  atmosphere.  I counted  fifty  bites  on  a 
little  finger,  all  received  in  one  night.  These  were  mostly 
mosquitoes,  though  some  were  inflicted  by  ants.  I can 
readily  imagine  a delicate,  nervous  man  being  actually  wor- 
ried to  death  by  them.  I mean  that  they  so  distress  and 
enervate  you,  by  constant  fretting  and  worriment  by  day 
and  loss  of  sleep  at  night,  that  you  gradually  become  ex- 
hausted, your  appetite  and  digestion  fail,  your  blood  becomes 
impoverished,  and  you  are  covered  with  sores,  which  itch 
dreadfully  because  of  the  poison  they  contain.  Another 
dangerous  pest  of  these  forests  is  a tick,  called  a carrapato , 
which  has  a sort  of  trident  of  teeth  serrated  inward,  and  also 
six  legs,  each  provided  with  strong,  hooked  claws.  These 
parasitic  torments  climb  out  upon  the  branches  of  a tree, 
catch  at  any  passer-by,  and  fasten  upon  him.  Horses  and 
cattle  sometimes  die  from  the  exhaustion  caused  by  the  bites 
of  these  creatures,  which  settle  in  swarms.  The  traveler  soon 
has  the  appearance  of  a person  suffering  from  herpes,  and 
frequently  succumbs  to  fever.  Still  another  very  annoying 
and  dangerous  pest  is  the  jigger,  a small  insect  of  the  fleg, 
family,  which  penetrates  the  skin  of  the  feet,  and,  laying  its 


192  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


eggs,  rears  a numerous  family  under  it.  If,  on  discovery, 
these  are  not  immediately  cut  out,  very  serious  sores  are  pro- 
duced, which  it  becomes  almost  impossible  to  heal. 

The  remainder  of  my  party  coming  up  somewhat  re- 
freshed, we  push  on  to  the  falls,  the  leaders  having  continu- 
ally to  use  their  machetes , or  chopping-knives.  We  had  to 
tight  briers,  vines,  and  roots;  to  ford  brooks;  to  clamber 
over  fallen  trees ; to  crawl  on  hands  and  knees  under  thickets, 
at  first  up-hill  and  then  on  a level,  until,  after  about  two 
miles,  we  suddenly  emerge  upon  a small  stream  which  forms 
the  first  fall  on  the  Argentine  side  of  the  river.  From  here 
we  have  a good  general  view  of  the  situation  and  surround- 
ings of  the  falls,  though  not  nearly  so  complete  a one  as  that 
to  be  obtained  farther  on,  from  the  third  fall.  The  streams 
are  connected  in  several  places  above  the  falls,  and  to  reach 
the  brink  of  the  third  fall  it  is  necessary  to  wade  in  water  up 
to  your  waist  for  about  half  a mile.  The  bottom  is  of  the 
same  hollowed,  honey-combed  conformation  as  the  rocks  on 
the  bank  below,  and  being,  moreover,  polished  by  the  current, 
presents  a very  difficult  surface  for  walking.  Still,  we  accom- 
plished it  without  a tumble,  and  were  rewarded  by  a most 
magnificent  spectacle.  So  shallow  was  the  fall  to  which  we 
had  come,  and  so  comparatively  weak  was  the  current,  that 
we  were  able,  without  great  risk,  to  stand  in  the  center  of  the 
stream,  near  the  brink  of  the  precipice  over  which  it  drops. 
The  first  view  of  the  great  falls  in  their  solitary  grandeur 
and  beauty  is  perfectly  overwhelming.  You  behold  the 
“ Niagara  of  South  America ! ” They  have,  indeed,  no  such 
width,  no  such  enormous  volume  of  water  as  has  Niagara — 
what  falls  anywhere  have  ? — but  they  are  of  the  same  color 
and  form,  and,  moreover,  they  are  fifty  feet  higher,  with 
environs  still  unmarred  by  the  devices  of  man.  Eight  be- 
fore us,  and  some  two  hundred  feet  below,  is  the  river,  which 
here  divides  into  two  great  streams,  with  banks  fully  five 
hundred  feet  in  height.  Between  these  branches  is  an  ex- 
tensive table-land,  perhaps  two  hundred  feet  high,  with  pre- 
cipitous sides,  covered  with  large  trees,  somewhat  like  Goat 


The  Daly  Falls , Iguassu  River. 


THE  NIAGARA  OF  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


193 


Island  in  Niagara  Biver.  This  is  about  half  a 'mile  long,  and 
stretches  to  the  center  of  a semicircle  one  hundred  feet 
higher,  over  which  in  twenty  (in  very  dry  seasons  perhaps  a 
hundred)  different  places  roll  the  splendid  falls  of  the 
Iguassu.  The  country  above  the  falls  is  at  first  flat,  with  a 
low  range  of  hills  in  the  distance.  The  river  here  is  two 
miles  wide — that  is  to  say,  its  various  streams  combined  are 
of  that  width,  for  great  stretches  of  uncovered  land  lie  both 
between  them  and  between  the  falls.  Of  the  two  principal 
falls,  one  is  on  the  Argentine  side  and  the  other  on  the  Bra- 
zilian. It  is  the  latter  which,  in  its  horseshoe-shape,  so 
strongly  resembles  the  “ Canadian”  cataract.  The  other  is 
a broad,  straight  sheet,  like  the  “American”  cascade.  The 
first  is  about  two  thousand  feet  in  width,  the  second  twelve 
hundred  feet.  Below  the  falls  the  river  is  pressed  between 
narrow  escarpments  of  rock,  and  in  its  velocity  it  rages  with 
all  the  seething  fury  of  the  “Whirlpool”  rapids  of  our  world- 
famous  Niagara.  The  Iguassu  down-pour,  with  its  beautiful 
greenish-white  water,  drops  two  hundred  and  fifteen  feet  over 
sheer  precipices  of  dark  rock,  and  throws  out  and  aloft  enor- 
mous clouds  of  spray.  In  a windless  day  the  thunderous 
roar  maybe  heard  twenty  miles  through  these  forest  soli- 
tudes. Standing  up  to  my  waist  in  the  flowing  river,  I filled 
my  hands  and  drank  to  the  health  of  Emperor  Dom  Pedro, 
of  Brazil;  President  Boca,  of  *the  Argentine  Bepublic;  and 
President  Cleveland,  of  the  United  States.  Several  of  these 
falls  have  at  various  times  received  local  titles  other  than  the 
“Falls  of  the  Iguassu,”  but  no  specific  name,  recognized  in 
maps  or  books,  has  ever  been  given  them,  notwithstanding 
that  they  are  almost  rivaled  farther  up  the  river.  I there- 
fore assume  the  explorer’s  privilege  of  naming  them  Daly 
Falls,  in  honor  of  Charles  P.  Daly,  LL.D.,  the  learned  and 
genial  President  of  the  American  Geographical  Society. 

We  returned  through  the  forest  and  encamped  near  the 
jaguar’s  lair,  but,  not  hearing  from  him  during  the  night, 
supposed  he  was  absent  from  home.  We  kept  in  the  center 
of  the  stream  in  going  down,  and  shot  the  various  rapids  in 
13 


194  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


grand  style,  all  my  men  at  tlieir  paddles  and  shouting  in  a 
fashion  vividly  recalling  Central  Africa.  We  reached  the 
steamer  without  accident  or  adventure,  and,  weighing  anchor, 
started  up  the  river  to  Tupurupucu,  the  present  limit  of 
steam  navigation  and  the  headquarters  of  the  Messrs.  Uribi’s 
large  yerbale , or  mate-tea  forest. 


The  Daly  Falls : a Near  View  from  the  Brazilian  Side. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


A PARAGUAYAN  RANCH. 

The  exploration  of  the  Daly  Falls  was  probably  the  most 
important,  as  it  was  certainly  the  most  interesting,  event  of 
my  entire  tonr.  As  the  reader  is  aware,  they  are  situated  in 
the  heart  of  the  South  American  Continent,  upon  the  Iguassu 
River,  twenty  miles  from  its  junction  with  the  great  Parana. 
They  are  about  equally  distant — say  a thousand  miles — 
southwesterly  from  Rio  Janeiro,  and  northeasterly  from 
Buenos  Ayres.  Should  the  prospective  visitor  be  able  to 
make  all  the  connections  exactly,  they  might  be  reached,  via 
the  Parana  and  the  Iguassu,  in  two  weeks’  time  from  Buenos 
Ayres,  or,  I should  suppose,  in  about  the  same  time  by  way 
of  the  Uruguay,  and  crossing  by  land  to  the  Parana.  But  it 
is  not  well,  in  these  dilatory  countries,  to  trust  to  making 
such  connections.  The  popular  Horth  American  system  of 
“ through  express  ” routes  has  nowhere,  as  yet,  been  intro- 
duced into  South  America.  There,  somehow,  the  people 
never  appear  to  be  engaged  in  any  specially  urgent  business. 
The  best  route  would,  in  my  opinion,  be  by  way  of  the 
Parana,  and  it  would  be  well  to  allow  two  months  for  the 
round  trip  from  and  to  Buenos  Ayres.  But,  though  a sight 
of  the  falls  is  worth  toil  and  hardship,  I fear  that,  such  is  the 
lack  of  conveniences  and  accommodations  at  present  and  in 
prospect,  that  it  will  be  a very  long  time  before  it  will  become 
fashionable  for  tourists  to  go  there. 

After  dinner  on  board  the  steamer  at  Tupurupucu,  the 
captain  kindly  invites  me  to  go  up  to  the  house  of  Messrs. 
Uribi  and  spend  a couple  of  days,  while  his  steamer  is  loading 


196  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


yerba  for  Posadas.  We  have  a horseback-ride  of  three  miles 
through  the  somber  forest,  but  upon  a good  road,  over  which 
tea  is  transported  in  carts  to  .the  steamer.  Upon  arriving,  we 
are  served  with  rich  milk,  and  cakes  made  of  maize,  and  then 
we  go  to  bed  upon  cots  spread  for  us  upon  the  earthen  floor 
of  a large  room,  of  which  one  side  is  quite  open.  A row  of 
horses,  a few  feet  distant  in  the  corral,  look  at  us  as  long  as 
we  have  a light,  and  then  we  hear  the  grinding  of  corn,  like 
so  many  little  mills,  until  we  fall  asleep.  The  ground  beiug 
hat  and  mostly  cleared  of  vegetation,  we  enjoy  a welcome 
respite  from  our  recent  foes  of  the  insect  world. 

Upon  arising  in  the  morning  I was  served  with  the  in- 
vigorating mate,  and  then  took  a stroll,  to  observe  more  care- 
fully my  location  and  surroundings.  The  establishment,  a 
typical  Paraguayan  farm,  formed,  of  course,  a great  square — 
everything  in  South  America  seems  built  in  a quadrangle — 
inclosed  by  a stockade.  In  front  were  the  corral  and  a great 
•warehouse  in  which  the  mate  is  stored;  on  either  sides  were 
sheds  for  the  huge  wooden  carts  used  for  transporting  the 
yerba  to  the  river-bank ; beyond  was  a store  of  miscellaneous 
goods  for  the  employes,  and  also  the  office,  dining-room,  and 
bedrooms.  Directly  in  front  of  the  latter  was  a large  grass- 
roofed  space,  where  nearly  all  day  long  stood  a score  or  so  of 
horses,  mules,  and  cattle,  a light  fence  only  separating  them 
from  the  corridors  of  the  building.  The  store  contained  a 
stand  of  carbines  to  help  subdue  any  mutiny  of  the  peons,  or 
day-laborers,  or  any  incursion  of  marauding  Indians.  Behind 
the  main  buildings,  which  have  grass  roofs,  mud  and  bamboo 
walls,  and  earthen  floors,  with  very  little  furniture,  and  that 
of  the  simplest  character,  are  the  huts  of  some  of  the  em- 
ployes, the  kitchen,  and  an  iron  mill  for  grinding  maize  and 
mate,  all  under  open  sheds.  Cooking  is  performed  on  a 
large  wooden  box  filled  with  earth,  and  standing  upon  four 
legs.  Only  three  or  four  pots  and  kettles  are  used.  The 
flat  and  almost  treeless  plain  of  this  estate  is  about  fifteen 
miles  square,  and  upon  this  are  pastured  about  a thousand 
head  of  cattle.  The  campo , as  it  is  called,  is  covered  with 


A PARAGUAYAN  RANCH. 


197 


both  fine  and  coarse  grass,  beautiful  flowers,  and  many  great 
red  ant-liills.  Some  of  the  latter  are  ten  feet  in  height  and 
four  in  diameter.  They  are  scattered  all  over  the  face  of  the 
country,  and  look  in  the  distance  like  the  stumps  of  fallen 
trees,  or  tree-stumps  that  have  been  left  in  clearing  the  land 
for  agricultural  purposes.  They  are  occasionally  open  at  the 
bottom  and  utilized  as  ovens  by  the  natives.  The  yerba  for- 
ests are  five  or  ten  miles  distant,  and  here,  in  the  season, 
some  six  hundred  men  are  employed.  On  returning  to  the 
house  from  my  walk,  I am  served  by  a thinly  clad,  barefooted 
Indian  with  a large  cup  of  milk  warm  from  the  cow,  and  a 
great  hot  roll  of  baked  cassava.  I find  both  very  delicious. 
Soon  thereafter,  in  company  with  Senor  Ahumada,  I start 
out  on  horseback  to  visit  an  Indian  family  living  in  the 
neighborhood.  A dozen  saddles  are  always  kept  upon  the 
fence  in  front  of  the  house,  and  as  many  horses  are  in  wait- 
ing, ready  to  be  used  by  any  one.  This  corral  is  at  all  times 
of  the  day  a very  interesting  arena,  where  horsemen  are  con- 
tinually coming  and  going,  and  cattle  are  being  driven  in  or 
out.  The  Indians  I find  living  in  very  primitive  style  in 
bamboo  huts,  containing  little  or  nothing  in  the  way  of 
either  furniture  or  food.  A huge  wooden  mortar,  with  a 
long  pestle  of  a hard  wood  like  mahogany,  both  similar  to 
those  found  in  Africa,  are  used  for  pounding  maize  and 
other  grains.  A fire  for  cooking  is  built  on  the  ground 
in  one  corner.  Hammocks  are  stretched  in  the  veranda, 
and  here  the  natives  loll  and  smoke  by  day  and  sleep  by 
night.  The  weapon  of  the  men  is  a huge  bow,  with  long, 
poisoned  arrows.  There  were  some  very  prettily  plaited 
baskets  made  by  the  women,  and  calabashes  were  used  for 
holding  water.  These  Indians  did  not  understand  a word  of 
Spanish,  and  our  combined  stock  of  Guarani  was  insufficient 
for  any  extended  conversation. 

We  next  took  a long  ride  through  the  forest  to  the  river 
Acaray,  a small  stream  which  empties  into  the  Parana  a 
short  distance  below  Tupurupucu.  The  trees  and  orchids 
much  interested  me,  as  also  the  variety  and  profusion  of  ani- 


198  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


mal  life.  As  we  jogged  along,  a small  iguana  crossed  the 
road,  a little  farther  a hare,  then  a snake,  then,  in  the  air,  a 
gaudy  toucan.  Birds  chirped  and  monkeys  chattered  in  the 
thickets.  The  air  was  radiant  with  clouds  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful butterflies,  of  every  size  and  color.  At  the  river  was  a 
great  shed  filled  with  flat-bottomed  boats,  used  to  transport 
the  yerba.  In  returning  I spied  an  ant-bear  and  a small  deer. 
We  breakfasted  at  noon:  a hot  and  oily  vermicelli-soup,  a 
dish  of  boiled  beef  and  mandioc-roots,  then  one  of  roast  pork, 
with  a curious  salad  flavored  with  onions  and  spice,  a dish  of 
rice  with  cream  and  sugar,  the  whole  washed  down  with  na- 
tive wine,  tasting  strongly  of  grapes,  and  followed  by  cups 
of  tea  and  cigarettes.  Our  dinner,  at  8 p.  m.,  was  almost 
a repetition  of  this,  and  both  were  wholesome  and  delicious 
meals,  eaten  with  appetites  engendered  by  the  free  exercise 
and  fresh  air  of  the  country.  The  heat  was  so  great,  how- 
ever, that  every  one  was  compelled  to  take  a long  siesta , our 
beds  being  arranged  by  the  side  of  the  table,  both  after 
breakfast  and  dinner.  Generally  by  nine  o’clock  every  one 
is  in  bed,  and  all  are  up  and  stirring  by  five  and  some  fre- 
quently by  four  of  the  morning.  While  our  steamer  was 
loading  three  thousand  arrobas  (an  arroba  is  twenty-five 
pounds)  of  yerba , I spent  two  very  delightful  days  at  the 
ranch  of  Tupurupucu.  There  is  good  fishing  in  the  neigh- 
boring rivers,  and  partridges  may  be  shot  within  one  hun- 
dred yards  of  the  house.  The  only  drawback  to  a thorough 
enjoyment  of  this  free  style  of  life  is  the  great  heat,  which 
may  be  expected  during  at  least  one  half  of  the  year.  The 
downward  trip  to  Posadas  occupied  but  two  days,  and  was 
uneventful.  I was  obliged  to  wait  four  days  in  Posadas  for 
the  tri-monthly  diligence  to  San  Tome,  a village  on  the  Uru- 
guay River,  and  about  sixty-five  miles  distant. 

We  finally  left  Posadas  at  six  in  the  morning  in  a dili- 
gence like  that  in  which  I had  come  from  Itusaingo,  having 
seats  for  eight  passengers,  and  a team  of  six  horses — four 
wheelers  and  two  leaders,  with  a postilion  about  twenty  feet 
in  advance,  whose  horse  was  attached  to  our  team  by  a lariat. 


A PARAGUAYAN  RANCH. 


199 


This  latter  method  seems  to  effectually  prevent  balking,  and 
besides  keeps  the  team  well  up  to  its  work.  Four  passen- 
gers besides  myself  were  bound  to  San  Tome.  They  were 
all  merchants  save  one,  the  priest  of  Posadas,  who  had  been 
invited  to  a church  fiesta.  Our  route  lay  over  an  all  but  tree- 
less plain,  containing  fine  meadow  and  coarse  tufts  of  grass, 
and  the  road  was,  as  before,  a mere  track  across  the  prairie, 
which  we  often  left  in  order  to  make  short  cuts,  or  to  select 
more  even  ground.  The  country  was  very  thinly  populated. 
Where  there  were  clumps  of  trees  we  generally  found  small 
ranches,  and  at  such  we  would  change  horses.  We  changed 
so  frequently  that  more  than  one  hundred  horses  were  used 
in  the  short  journey  of  sixty-five  miles  from  the  Parana  to  the 
Uruguay.  We  passed  a few  of  the  great  wooden  ox-carts  of 
the  country,  carrying  yerba-mate  or  hides  to  the  river-ports. 
Sometimes  the  oxen  are  directed  from  the  cart,  sometimes 
by  a horseman  who  uses  a long  pole  for  the  purpose.  About 
one  o’clock  we  halted  for  the  day  at  a ranch  where  a small 
mud  hut  stood  for  the  use  of  travelers.  Many  domestic  ani- 
mals were  gathered  around — chickens,  dogs,  cats,  geese,  also 
some  paroquets,  and  a monkey.  Suspended  by  ropes  were 
great  quantities  of  meat,  drying  in  the  sun  and  wind.  As 
soon  as  we  arrived,  cots  were  prepared  for  our  siesta , and  the 
table  was  set  for  breakfast.  It  was  amusing  to  see  the  finery 
of  the  bed-linen  employed  upon  rude  cots  in  a grass-roofed, 
mud-walled,  and  mud-floored  hut.  The  sheets  and  pillow- 
cases had  at  least  a foot  of  lace  embroidery  attached  to  them. 
This  was  evidently  highly  appreciated  by  the  chickens,  for 
they  had  not  only  free  access  to  the  hut,  but  to  the  beds  and 
breakfast-table.  It  is  very  striking,  all  over  the  world,  how 
inconsistent  semi-civilized  people  are  with  the  luxuries  or,  at 
least,  the  comforts  of  life.  At  night  we  all  took  our  cots 
out-of-doors  and  slept  soundly  until  daybreak,  each  with  re- 
volver or  knife,  or  both,  under  his  pillow,  including  even  the 
man  of  peace  and  good-will,  the  jpadre.  Every  one  in  these 
countries  is  accustomed  to  carry  either  knife  or  revolver ; yet 
I could  at  first  hardly  comprehend  its  necessity,  never  hear- 


200  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


ing  of  any  deeds  of  personal  violence,  and  finding  everybody 
so  courteous  and  pleasant,  masters  and  servants,  and  even 
strangers.  I had  supposed  it  to  be  a sort  of  survival  of  feu- 
dal times  arising  in  a similar  and  as  sensible  a manner  as 
the  fashion  of  our  wearing  two  buttons  behind  upon  our 
coats.  Once  everybody  wore  a belt,  and  the  two  buttons 
were  used  to  support  it  behind.  Belts  are  no  longer  worn, 
and  yet  the  buttons  have  not  been  excised.  Instead  of  dying 
out,  they  continue  to  survive,  like  rudimentary  organs.  I 
inferred  that  it  was  the  same  with  the  weapons  so  universally 
carried  by  the  South  American  people ; but  the  next  day  I 
saw  that  these  weapons  could  be,  quite  as  useful  as  ornament- 
al. A man,  whom  we  took  up  for  a short  distance,  had 
some  few  words  with  one  of  the  other  passengers  regarding 
his  seat.  Nothing  more  happened  at  the  time,  but  upon 
alighting  the  dispute  was  at  once  renewed.  One  accused 
the  other  merely  of  not  being  complimentary,  when  revolvers 
were  whipped  out  in  a trice,  and  it  was  as  much  as  the  rest 
could  do  to  prevent  reciprocal  onslaught.  In  fact,  only  the 
presence  and  persuasion  of  the  priest  prevented  bloodshed. 
After  this  little  episode,  I put  a few  extra  cartridges  in  my 
pocket  and  whetted  my  bowie-knife,  fearing  that,  if  there 
was  a general  fight,  I might  be  “ counted  in  ” without  the 
polite  preliminary  of  consulting  my  wishes. 

As  we  went  on,  the  great  green  sea  of  grass,  with  occa- 
sional copses  of  trees,  made  an  undulating  country  about  us. 
The  plains  were  plentifully  dotted  with  cattle  and  horses. 
The  former  were  sleek,  but  most  of  the  horses  were  sorry- 
looking  hacks.  We  passed  a few  small  streams,  but  not  until 
we  reached  the  neighborhood  of  the  river  Uruguay  did  trees 
abound.  The  people,  of  course,  know  nothing  of  “ through  ” 
routes,  or  of  the  motives  that  impel  travelers  to  hasten. 
There  is,  therefore,  little  or  no  accommodation  on  the  road. 
For  some  of  our  meals  we  had  to  take  with  us  cold  meat, 
bread,  and  wine,  which  we  would  eat  while  our  horses  were 
being  changed.  Instead  of  completing  the  journey  in  a single 
day,  as  might  easily  have  been  done,  we  took  the  halves  of 


A PARAGUAYAN  RANCH. 


201 


two  days.  San  Tome  I found  to  be  a small  village  upon  the 
bank  of  tbe  Uruguay,  in  a perfect  forest  of  orange  and  banana 
trees.  Tbe  bouses  are  like  those  of  Posadas,  one  story  in 
beigbt,  made  of  rough,  unplastered  brick.  A hotel  and  a club 
occupy  the  greater  part  of  the  same  building.  A bank  ap- 
pears in  evidence  of  civilization,  and  quite  a number  of  stores 
contain  the  ordinary  articles  of  sale.  The  streets  are  lighted 
by  kerosene-lamps.  On  one  side  of  a large  plaza  stands  a very 
old  church,  of  dark  rough  stones,  cemented  together  with 
rubble- work,  which  produces  quite  an  ornamental  effect. 
The  Uruguay  Biver  is  here  about  a mile  wide,  with  muddy 
water,  a strong  current,  and  green,  wooded  banks.  In  the 
stream,  which  is  all  of  a hundred  feet  below  the  level  of  the 
town,  I found  a few  sloops,  loading  with  hides,  yerba , and 
wood,  for  ports  down  the  river.  The  steamer,  which  runs  to 
Ceibo,  an  Argentine  port,  and  others  intermediate,  did  not 
leave  until  three  days  after  my  arrival.  It  proved  to  be 
a little  paddle-wheel  vessel,  of  twenty  tons,  and  drew  but 
thirty-two  inches  of  water.  The  captain  was  an  Argentine, 
the  engineer  a Scotchman.  There  were  accommodations  for 
twenty  passengers,  part  of  them  in  the  open  saloon,  and  a 
part  in  two  cabins,  in  the  stern,  set  apart  for  women  and 
children.  We  started  with  one  passenger  besides  myself, 
and  took  two  more  on  board  at  the  first  stop,  the  town  of 
San  Borje,  in  Brazil,  where  we  also  shipped  two  thousand 
hides  and  a quantity  of  wool. 

In  going  on  from  San  Borje  we  have  a loaded  schooner 
in  tow.  There  is  a strong  breeze  from  the  southward,  and  a 
number  of  sailing-craft  take  advantage  of  this  to  stem  the 
swiftly  running  current,  their  sails  . standing  out  in  the  style 
known  to  sailors  as  “ wing-and-wing.”  The  larger  ones  are 
rigged  like  our  brigs,  and  the  smaller  ones  with  a single  mast 
or  sail,  or  sails,  like  the  conventional  Mediterranean  felucca. 
We  stop  several  times  to  load  wood  for  our  boiler,  great 
piles  of  it  being  stacked  at  intervals  upon  the  high  banks  and 
thrown  down  to  us.  It  is  sold  at  the  rate  of  sixty  cents  a 
hundred  short  sticks.  There  are  several  steamers  which 


202  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


navigate  the  upper  Uruguay — that  part  of  it  between  San 
Tome  and  Ceibo,  a distance  of  about  one  hundred  and  sev- 
enty-five miles.  Below  Ceibo,  for  a distance  of  one  hundred 
miles,  steam-navigation  is  interrupted  by  a series  of  falls  and 
rapids,  though  a great  part  of  the  river  is  traversed  by  na- 
tive boats,  and  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year,  when  the  water 
is  especially  high,  the  whole  of  it.  A railway  on  the  Argen- 
tine bank,  one  hundred  miles  in  length,  connects  the  freight 
and  passengers  of  the  upper  and  the  lower  river  navigation. 
A like  railway  has  also  been  projected  upon  the  Uruguay 
bank,  but  only  a small  portion  of  it  has  been  completed. 
From  Concordia,  the  southern  terminus  of  the  Argentine 
railway,  the  river  is  wide  and  deep,  and  there  is  almost  daily 
steamer  communication  with  Montevideo  and  Buenos  Ayres. 
The  Uruguay  is  not  like  the  Parana  as  regards  its  reefs. 
Here  they  are  far  too  many  and  too  massive  to  pay  for  exca- 
vating a ship-canal.  In  the  Parana  the  Apipe  rapids  form 
in  a single  spot  the  sole  obstacle  for  nearly  two  thousand 
miles  of  that  splendid  water-way.  Under  a small  moon  and 
very  bright  stars  we  went  on  all  night,  and  reached  the  Bra- 
zilian town  of  Itaqui  at  daybreak.  Here  were  anchored  in 
the  river  a monitor  and  two  gunboats.  On  shore  was  a large 
arsenal  and  a garrison.  The  town  is  small,  and  not  much  of 
it  appears  from  the  river,  which,  being  here  quite  narrow, 
makes  the  place  of  considerable  strategic  importance  to  the 
Brazilians.  There  is  also  an  important  trade  in  the  yerba- 
mate. 

I do  not  think  I have  yet  spoken  of  the  practice  of  mate 
sipping  among  people  in  Paraguay,  Uruguay,  and  the  Argen- 
tine Bepublic.  Mate  and  cigarettes  are  as  ubiquitous  here  as 
cofiee  and  pipes  in  the  Levant.  Mate  is  taken  the  first  thing 
in  the  morning,  and  again  about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon, 
regularly.  Then,  besides,  whenever  you  call  upon  a person, 
at  any  time  of  day  or  evening,  mate  is  generally  served  as  a 
delicate  attention,  whether  your  visit  is  of  business  or  friend- 
ship. The  mate  is  always  proffered  in  a little  egg-shaped 
gourd,  no  more  than  four  inches  in  depth  and  three  in  diame- 


A PARAGUAYAN  RANGE. 


203 


ter.  This  is  first  nearly  filled  with  the  mate  from  a little 
opening  at  the  smaller  end  and  then  very  hot  water  is  added 
to  the  briinming-point.  A long  brass  or  silver  tube,  the  size 
of  an  ordinary  lead-pencil,  at  whose  lower  extremity  is  a sort 
of  spoon  pierced  with  holes,  is  then  inserted.  This  spoon  is 
used  to  stir  the  mate,  and  through  the  tube  you  imbibe  the 
tea.  The  gourd  holds  only  a few  swallows,  and  after  being 
emptied  is  taken  out,  refilled  with  hot  water,  and  handed  in 
turn  to  each  of  the  others  in  the  company.  It  frequently 
thus  circulates  half  a dozen  times,  a boy  being  constantly 
employed  in  serving  it.  Sometimes  a little  sugar  is  added, 
but  I found  the  natural  taste  a rather  pleasant  bitter.  It  is  a 
strong,  stimulating  drink,  whose  tonic  influences  extend  over 
several  hours.  Wealthy  people  have  their  mate  gourds 
carved,  and  the  silver  drinking-tubes  elaborately  ornamented 
with  figures  of  plants  and  birds.  All  these  people,  both  rich 
and  poor,  use  the  mate,  and  besides,  great  quantities  of  it  are 
exported  to  Brazil  and  other  more  distant  South  American 
states.  The  appearance  of  the  yerba-mate , or  tea-shrub,  is 
like  the  English  holly.  It  grows  without  cultivation  on  the 
borders  of  the  wildernesses,  and  there  are  even  entire  forests 
of  it.  There  are  only  two  simple  processes  in  the  prepara- 
tion of  the  mate,  which  thus  gives  it  a certain  advantage  over 
the  Chinese  product.  The  first  is  the  cutting  of  the  trees 
and  the  gathering  of  the  young  leaves,  which  are  generally 
dried  in  the  field  over  quick  fires.  The  second  process  is  the 
crushing  of  the  dried  materials,  which  is  carried  on  at  a 
mate-mill.  The  one  which  I saw  at  Tupurupucu  had  six 
wooden  stampers  worked  by  teeth,  placed  spirally  round  the 
circumference  of  a revolving  cylinder.  The  motive  power 
was  a strong  mule.  Other  and  larger  mills,  however,  derive 
their  power  from  water  passing  an  overshot  wheel  of  great 
diameter.  These  frequently  turn  out  three  tons,  weight  of 
mate  per  day0 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


DOWN  THE  URUGUAY. 

We  called  for  some  fresli  provisions  at  the  Argentine 
village  of  San  Martin,  so  named  in  honor  of  the  famous  Gen- 
eral San  Martin,  who  was  born  here.  Opposite  is  the  most 
important  affluent  of  the  Uruguay,  the  Ibicuy,  a river  navi- 
gable for  native  vessels  for  upward  of  one  hundred  miles. 
The  next  stop  was  also  in  the  Argentine  Republic,  at  Restau- 
racion,  a village  delightfully  situated  on  the  top  of  a hill,  in 
the  midst  of  luxurious  vegetation.  A few  miles  inland  is 
the  ruined  mission  of  San  Ana,  one  of  the  most  fertile  of: 
the  old  Jesuit  settlements.  Here  Aime  Bonpland,  the  emi- 
nent French  naturalist  and  traveler,  and  joint  author  with 
Humboldt  of  the  “ Travels  in  the  Equinoctial  Regions  of 
the  Hew  Continent,”  spent  the  last  twenty  years  of  his  life. 
Upon  returning  to  Europe  with  Humboldt,  after  their  five 
years  of  exploration  and  residence  in  northern  South  Amer- 
ica, Bonpland  presented  to  the  Paris  Museum  of  Hatural 
History  his  valuable  collection  of  six  thousand  new  species 
of  plants,  and  was  appointed  by  the  Empress  Josephine  su- 
perintendent of  her  gardens  at  Malmaison.  The  subsequent 
career  of  this  great  botanist,  owing  to  the  overshadowing  glory 
of  Humboldt,  is  not  so  well  known.  In  1816,  when  forty- 
three  years  of  age,  he  sailed  for  Buenos  Ayres,  where  he  be- 
came a professor  of  natural  history.  At  the  end  of  five  years 
he  set  out  on  a journey  to  the  Andes,  but  in  passing  through 
Paraguay  was  captured  by  the  troops  of  the  dictator  Francia. 
After  a residence  of  nearly  ten  years,  under  strict  surveil- 
lance, he  was  released  in  1831,  and  afterward  came  to  San 


DOWN  THE  URUGUAY. 


205 


Ana,  where  he  established  a vast  garden,  and  acclimatized 
numbers  of  strange  plants,  Bonpland  died  in  1858,  but  one 
year  before  his  illustrious  colleague  Humboldt. 

In  the  evening  we  anchored  nearly  opposite  Hestauracion, 
at  the  Brazilian  town  of  Uruguay  ana,  a place  pleasantly  situ- 
ated on  a hill  sloping  back  from  the  river  and  covered  with 
orange -groves.  A large  barrack  showed  conspicuously  near 
the  bank.  At  daybreak  on  the  next  morning  we  started  down 
the  river,  now  at  a greater  rate  of  speed,  having  got  rid  of 
the  vessel  which  we  had  been  towing.  The  river  was  about  a 
mile  in  width,  and  the  banks  were  low  and  but  little  wooded. 
In  the  distance  was  fine  meadow-land,  and  several  herds  of 
ostriches  were  seen.  We  reached  Ceibo,  the  port  of  the 
town  of  Monte  Caseros,  three  miles  distant,  about  noon. 
Three  or  four  small  steamers  were  clustered  here,  and  half  a 
dozen  sailing-vessels  were  moored  in  a little  creek  upon 
which  stands  the  railway-station,  a suitable  brick  and  iron 
edifice.  The  train  departed  at  1.30  p.  m.  for  Concordia.  The 
line  is  English  in  its  equipment,  and  the  carriages  have  iron 
sunshades  at  the  sides,  as  in  Egypt  and  India.  There  were 
but  two  classes  of  passenger- cars,  and  a small  postal  and  bag- 
gage van,  but  many  freight-cars  which  were  loaded  prin- 
cipally with  hides.  Monte  Caseros  is  a small,  dull  town,  with 
much  good  pasture  going  to  waste  in  the  streets.  The  line 
of  railway  to  Concordia  passes  the  entire  distance  through  an 
undulating  prairie  of  grass,  with  trees  visible  only  on  the 
banks  of  the  distant  Uruguay.  The  river  itself  is  not  in 
sight,  although  we  run  parallel  to  it,  until  we  near  the  end 
of  the  journey.  In  the  pampa  are  many  great  herds  of  cat- 
tle and  horses,  and  a few  sheep  and  ostriches.  Uruguay  con- 
sists mostly  of  luxuriant  pastures,  and  the  chief  industry  is 
the  raising  of  cattle,  horses,  and  sheep,  as  in  the  Argentine 
Republic.  Half  a dozen  stations  dot  the  line,  some  sur- 
rounded with  only  a cluster  of  native  huts,  others  communi- 
cating with  a neighboring  town  or  colony.  At  Concordia, 
which  we  reached  in  six  hours,  we  entered  a fine  large  sta- 
tion, built  quite  in  the  English  style.  The  town  of  Salto, 


206  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


with  its  whitewashed,  stuccoed  houses,  shone  resplendent  in 
the  getting  sun.  This  is  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  a 
few  miles  above  Concordia.  The  latter  is  a hustling  town, 
with  a tramway,  a plaza  full  of  trees,  a cheap-looking  Liberty 
column,  an  unfinished  cathedral,  and  a hotel  as  good  as  any 
in  Buenos  Ayres,  if  not  better.  It  is  kept  by  a Frenchman, 
and  is  large,  clean,  and  comfortable,  with  a very  liberally 
supplied  table. 

At  seven  o’clock  the  following  morning  I left  for  the  town 
of  Fray  Bentos,  and.  the  famous  meat-extract  factory  of  Lie- 
big, in  Uruguay.  Two  large  steamers,  of  different  lines, 
sailed  simultaneously,  and  both  were  well  patronized.  In 
the  river,  at  Salto,  were  several  merchant-vessels  and  a small 
steamer,  and  near  the  town  were  two  saladeros , or  meat- 
salting factories.  There  was  also  a large  saladero  at  Con- 
cordia. Both  these  towns  are  busy  places.  Concordia,  in 
fact,  is  the  third  town  in  importance  in  the  Argentine  Re- 
public, and  Salto  enjoys  the  same  rank  in  Uruguay.  The 
steamer  on  which  I took  passage  was  a large  iron,  double- 
deck, paddle-wheel  boat,  with  very  powerful  engines  to  op- 
pose the  strong  current,  and  with  accommodations  for  several 
hundred  passengers.  The  service  is  irreproachable,  and  the 
table  excellent,  as  might  be  expected,  the  line  being  French. 
One  of  these  fine  large  steamers  leaves  Concordia  for  Buenos 
Ayres  five  days  in  the  wee|r.  For  the  first  part  of  the  jour- 
ney the  country  was  very  thinly  settled,  and  the  banks  were 
low  and  fringed  with  trees.  Here  and  there  were  glimpses 
of  the  prairie  beyond.  Some  of  the  views  were  smooth, 
soft,  and  mildly  picturesque,  with  palms  and  other  trees 
thinly  scattered  upon  the  green  and  yellow  meadows.  About 
noon  we  reached  Paysandu,  a large  Uruguayan  town,  built 
upon  a hill  gently  sloping  back  from  the  river  and  partly 
concealed  by  trees.  The  river  is  here  less  than  a mile  in 
width,  with  a swiftly  flowing  current.  We  reached  Fray 
Bentos  about  five  o’olock  in  the  afternoon.  At  that  point 
the  river  makes  a sharp  turn  to  the  east,  and  widens  to  an 
expanse  of  several  miles.  Fray  Bentos  is  a small  village 


DOWN  THE  URUGUAY. 


207 


built  upon  a high  peninsula,  with  broad,  macadamized  streets 
and  a plaza  crowded  with  trees.  On  a similar  headland,  about 
a mile  south,  are  the  buildings  of  the  Liebig  extract-of-meat 
establishment  and  those  of  its  employes,  making  a small  vil- 
lage by  themselves.  Half  a dozen  vessels  were  in  the  river, 
engaged  in  shipping  the  well-known  juice. 

The  next  morning  I visited  the  famous  factory.  The 
grounds  are  surrounded,  by  a high  brick  wall,  entered  through 
a lofty  archway.  The  manager  and  superintendents  live 
within  this  inclosure,  though  the  most  of  the  employes  are 
in  the  village  apart  by  themselves.  The  company  employs 
about  a thousand  hands,  who  with  their  wives  and  children 
form  a community  of  over  twenty-five  hundred  people.  In 
the  private  office  of  the  manager  were  a fine  large  library 
of  Euglish,  %erman,  and  Spanish  books,  and  a table  loaded 
with  recent  English  periodicals.  Upon  a huge  sideboard 
stood  an  excellent  bust  of  Justus  Liebig,  the  great  German 
chemist.  There  was  also  a cabinet  containing  jars  of  all  the 
various  kinds  and  sizes  in  which  the  extract  is  packed  for 
market.  Adjoining  this  room  were  several  used  by  the 
cashier,  secretaries,  and  book-keepers.  The  company  work 
but  seven  months  of  the  year.  They  have  some  thousands 
of  acres  of  pasture,  and  some  hundreds  of  thousands  of  cattle. 
Since  the  company  was  started,  in  1865,  the  number  of  cattle 
slaughtered  is  2,600,000,  representing  a value  of  $86,400,000. 
During  the  slaughtering  season  1,000  oxen  are  killed  daily. 
They  are  good  and  sound  animals,  and  not  less  than  four 
years  old.  You  are  shown  by  obliging  clerks  through  all 
the  different  parts  of  the  factory.  Connected  with  the  estab- 
lishment are  all  sorts  of  machine-shops,  so  that  nearly  every- 
thing necessary  is  made  upon  the  premises.  There  is  a tin- 
smith’s, a carpenter’s,  and  an  engineer’s  shop,  each  on  a very 
complete  scale.  Adjacent  is  a good  iron  pier,  at  which  ves- 
sels may  lie  and  load  directly  from  the  works  by  means  of  a 
tram-road. 

A short  distance  out  on  the  pampa  there  are  large  corrals, 
and  a stockade-bordered  lane  leads  into  the  slaughtering-yard. 


208  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

Arrived  at  this  general  depot,  about  fifty  cattle  are  closely 
penned,  and  a man,  standing  on  the  stockade,  lassoes  them 
one  by  one,  the  end  of  his  lasso  being  attached  to  a neighboring 
winch,  turned  by  steam,  which  hauls  the  fated  beast,  stum- 
bling and  slipping  and  pushing  aside  all  animals  in  its  way, 
till  its  head  touches  a beam  where  stands  the  matador  or 
killer.  This  man  is  armed  with  a short,  broad-bladed,  sharp- 
pointed  knife.  With  one  blow,  close  behind  the  horns,  he 
severs  the  spinal  cord,  and  the  animal  drops  with  a heavy 
thud,  but  without  a struggle,  upon  a small  iron  truck.  This 
is  at  once  drawn  (the  lasso  having  been  disengaged)  by  two 
men  into  a great  shed,  where  about  one  hundred  men  are 
busily  at  work  skinning  and  cutting  up  the  carcasses.  Not 
unfrequently  the  horns  of  the  one  lassoed  become  entangled 
with  the  horns  of  another,  and  they  are  brought  up  to  the 
beam  and  dispatched  together.  Along  one  side  of  the  great 
shed  are  long  ranges  of  rails  for  hanging  meat,  and  along  the 
other  is  a fiat,  flagged  place,  slightly  shelving,  upon  which 
the  oxen  are  laid.  Here,  by  means  of  a lasso  attached  to  a 
horse,  the  animal  is  hauled  into  its  place,  where  a skinner  is 
waiting  for  it.  He  immediately  cuts  its  throat  and  begins 
his  work,  very  rapidly  removing  the  skin.  Though  the  vic- 
tim’s sensation  is  probably  entirely  destroyed  by  severance  of 
its  spinal  cord,  yet  muscular  action  is  not ; and  it  is  rather 
ghastly  to  see  the  struggles  of  an  animal  with  half  its  skin 
off,  and  to  detect  a sound  painfully  like  a bellow.  These 
movements  seem  to  take  place  when  certain  nerves  about 
the  neck  are  touched  and  thus  set  in  action.  Soon  the  ani- 
mal is  cut  into  a hundred  pieces,  and  the  parts  are  quickly 
sorted  and  taken  in  different  directions.  The  meat,  warm 
and  quivering,  is  cut  from  the  bones  and  hung  upon  the  rails 
provided  for  that  purpose,  and  the  skins  are  put  into  large 
brine-baths  for  soaking.  Entrails,  skulls,  horns,  tongues, 
hoofs,  and  even  the  blood,  are  carried  away.  Everything  is 
carefully  preserved,  and  every  part  of  the  animal  is  utilized. 
Even  the  bones  are  ground  and,  mixed  with  the  meat  after 
the  extract  is  obtained,  with  hide-trimmings  and  blood,  are 


DOWN  THE  URUGUAY. 


209 


made  into  an  artificial  guano  which  proves  a very  efficient 
fertilizer.  The  skinners  wield  knives  like  razors,  work  with 
lightning  rapidity,  and  show  profound  knowledge  of  bovine 
anatomy.  They  will  skin  and  cut  an  animal  into  a hundred 
pieces  in  eight  minutes.  The  operation  has  been  done  in 
five.  Each  skinner  gets  fifteen  cents  per  head ; but,  if  in 
skinning  he  makes  a hole  in  the  skin,  he  loses  his  payment 
for  that  animal.  In  the  height  of  the  season  he  disposes  of 
about  thirty-five  in  a day.  The  sight  of  the  great  shed, 
where  thirty  bullocks  at  a time  are  being  skinned  and  cut  up 
by  wild-looking,  half-naked  men,  covered  with  blood  from 
head  to  foot,  the  pavement  running  rivers  of  blood  and 
clotted  gore,  is  one  not  soon  to  be  forgotten.  Perhaps  it 
would  be  as  well  that  a very  sensitive  person  should  not  in- 
spect this  part  of  the  establishment.  But  the  fine  adapta- 
bility of  everything  for  its  purpose,  the  splendid  order  ob- 
served by  the  workmen,  and  the  preservation  of  as  high  a 
degree  of  cleanliness  as  is  consistent  with  such  a business, 
strike  the  visitor  as  very  remarkable. 

When  it  has  cooled,  the  meat  is  cleared  of  fat,  and  is 
stewed  in  large  oblong  caldrons,  in  which  the  water  is  kept 
somewhat  below  the  boiling-point,  as  it  is  a peculiarity  of  the 
extract  that  it  contains  no  matter  not  soluble  in  cold  as  dis- 
tinguished from  boiling  water.  The  thin  soup  so  obtained 
is  then  strained  off  and  carefully  skimmed,  which  removes 
any  trace  of  grease  that  may  have  remained  in  the  meat.  It 
is  then  passed  through  a series  of  elaborate  evaporations,  out 
of  each  of  which  it  comes  thicker,  until  it  reaches  a consist- 
ency rather  more  solid  than  treacle.  The  liquid  becomes  a 
jelly  on  cooling.  It  is  now  ready  for  use,  and  is  packed  in 
large  tins  holding  about  a hundred  and  ten  pounds  of  the 
extract.  Each  of  these  tins  contains,  on  an  average,  the  sub- 
stance of  fifteen  animals,  and  is  worth  about  two  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars.  The  tins  are  exported  in  that  form  to  Ant- 
werp, where  they  are  examined  by  a special  chemist  attached 
to  the  company’s  general  depot,  after  whose  approval  and 
guarantee,  as  regards  composition  and  flavor,  the  extract  is 
14 


210  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

potted,  put  up  in  cases,  and  sent  out  to  all  the  markets  of  the 
world. 

As  every  one  knows,  Liebig’s  extract  of  meat  is  used  as  a 
highly  condensed  and  nutritive  food,  as  a tonic  for  the  de- 
bilitated and  sick,  as  a stock-pot  for  soups,  made  dishes,  and 
sauces,  and  for  flavoring  meat,  game,  and  fish.  A pound  of 
extract  is  sufficient  to  prepare  one  hundred  and  ninety  por- 
tions of  soup,  of  a strength  equal  to  that  obtained  by  the 
cooking  of  forty-five  pounds  of  meat  during  three  hours. 
The  preparation  contains  chiefly  fatty  matter,  flavoring  and 
odoriferous  principles,  meaty  acids,  and  certain  soluble  alka- 
line salts.  Though  from  thirty-four  pounds  of  lean  meat 
but  one  of  the  extract  is  acquired,  yet  the  coneoction  does 
not  contain  as  many  highly  nutritive  as  stimulative  qualities, 
which  act  as  excitants  of  the  digestive  organs  and  tend  to 
restore  the  appetite.  The  article  never  deteriorates,  because 
it  is  wholly  destitute  of  grease,  albumen,  and  gelatin.  The 
Liebig  company  claim  an  annual  sale  of  eight  million  jars. 

In  the  evening  I take  the  steamer  for  Buenos  Ayres. 
From  a point  just  above  Fray  Bentos  the  river  increases  to 
three  miles  in  breadth,  and  thus  continues,  with  low,  unin- 
teresting banks,  to  its  mouth.  At  seven  o’clock  the  follow- 
ing morning  I reach  Buenos  Ayres,  after  an  absence  of  about 
two  months. 

On  December  22d  I left  Buenos  Ayres  for  Bio  de  Janeiro 
in  the  Hevelius,  a fine  vessel  of  three  thousand  tons  burden, 
belonging  to  the  Liverpool,  Brazil  and  Biver  Plate  great 
fleet  of  steamers.  The  Hevelius  was  bound  for  Antwerp 
(with  calls  at  Montevidio  and  Bio),  carried  the  Belgian  mail, 
and  displayed  the  red,  yellow,  and  black  banner  of  that 
kingdom  instead  of  the  British  flag,  under  which  the  greater 
number  of  the  steamers  of  Messrs.  Lamport  and  Holt  sail. 
She  lay  out  in  the  Plata,  together  with  about  twenty  others, 
all  large  ones,  just  fourteen  miles  distant  from  the  city, 
not  being  able  to  get  any  nearer,  owing  to  their  draught 
and  to  the  extraordinary  shoaling  shore.  I doubt  if  any 
large  seaport  in  the  world  has  such  a bad  harbor,  or  more 


DOWN  THE  URUGUAY. 


211 


properly  roadstead,  as  Buenos  Ayres.  Four  or  five  of  .the 
passengers  were  taken  on  board  in  a small  tender.  On  our 
way  the  frequent  appearance  above  the  surface  of  only  half 
the  masts  of  vessels,  hinted  plainly  enough  of  the  dangers 
and  risks  of  Kiver  Plate  commerce.  I found  the  Hevelius 
deeply  laden  with  her  cargo,  and  possessing  accommodations 
for  a goodly  number  of  passengers,  distributed  in  three 
classes.  Those  of  the  first  class  were  very  comfortably 
lodged.  The  saloon  was  a superb  room,  built  upon  the  deck 
and  lined  with  white  marble,  which  gave  it  a cool,  comforta- 
ble look,  at  least  for  those  occupying  it  during  the  tropical 
part  of  the  route.  It  was,  moreover,  very  luxuriously  fur- 
nished and  ornamented,  but  the  table  was  of  -the  character 
too  often  found  in  English  steamers — a small  variety  of  very 
plain  food,  simply  prepared,  and  tasting  as  if  all  had  been 
cooked  in  the  same  kettle.  Hot  fewer  than  five  meals  were 
furnished  daily.  In  these  particulars  the  French,  Italian, 
and  German  steamers  are  generally  far  superior  to  the  Eng- 
lish, though  I am  free  to  admit  a sort  of  compensation  in  the 
correct  discipline  and  seamanship  always  to  be  found  on 
steamers  of  British  nationality.  We  weighed  anchor  at  six 
o’clock — Buenos  Ayres  lying  so  low  as  to  be  quite  out  of 
sight.  We  passed  two  Argentine  war-vessels,  a monitor  and 
a sloop,  and  reached  Montevideo  early  the  following  morn- 
ing. Here  we  spent  the  day  loading  dried  beef  and  live 
sheep  for  Bio  Janeiro.  The  remainder  of  our  cargo  con- 
sisted of  wool  and  hides,  bound  to  Antwerp.  Anchored 
near  us  were  a score  of  steamers,  several  of  them  crowded 
with  Italian  immigrants.  The  beautiful  and  convenient 
position  of  Montevideo,  as  compared  with  Buenos  Ayres,  is 
at  once  apparent.  Montevideo,  however,  is  about  all  there 
seems  to  be  of  Uruguay,  excepting  the  large  towns  of  Pay- 
sandu  and  Salto,  on  the  Uruguay  Biver.  At  sunset  we  de- 
parted for  Bio  Janeiro,  a voyage  of  about  eleven  hundred 
miles. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

EIO  DE  JANEIRO. 

We  celebrated  a very  merry  Christmas,*  on  the  27th 
passed  the  Tropic  of  Capricorn,  and  late  in  the  evening 
sighted  a powerful  light  on  one  of  a group  of  islands  lying  a 
short  distance  from  the  entrance  to  the  harbor  of  Rio  de  Ja- 
neiro. It  is  a revolving  light,  and,  showing  first  white  and 
then  red,  makes  a very  pretty  sight.  As  we  approached  the 
entrance  of  the  harbor,  the  dark  hills,  with  their  diversified 
forms  and  bare,  precipitous  tops,  loomed  grandly  on  either 
hand.  They  did  not  seem  to  be,  on  an  average,  more  than 
fifteen  hundred  feet  in  height.  There  was,  as  yet,  no  moon, 
though  the  stars  were  brightly  illuminative.  The  harbor 
of  Rio  is  about  one  hundred  miles  in  circumference,  lies 
directly  north  and  south,  and  is  almost  exactly  of  a pear- 
shape,  the  long  and  narrow  entrance  forming,  as  it  were, 
the  neck  of  the  fruit.  To  the  left,  as  we  passed  in,  rose 
abruptly  from  the  sea  a great,  precipitous  rock,  appropri- 
ately named,  from  its  formation,  Sugar-Loaf.  Though  but 
thirteen  hundred  feet  in  height,  it  is  so  steep  and  smooth 
that  it  has  been  climbed  but  by  only  three  or  four  advent- 
urous persons.  So  sharp  is  it,  that  its  conical  summit 
does  not  appear  to  be  over  twenty  feet  in  diameter.  It 
stands  dark  and  frowning,  a grim  old  sentry  on  its  post  day 
and  night.  The  entrance  to  the  great  bay  is  about  a mile  in 
width.  On  the  left,  not  far  from  the  Sugar-Loaf,  is  a small 
fort,  and  upon  the  north  headland,  near  the  water,  is  a large 
and  powerful  fortress,  mounting  one  hundred  guns.  The 
hills  back  of  this  are  not  more  than  one  thousand  feet  in 


View  from  the  Summit  of  the  Corcovado. 


RIO  DR  JANEIRO . 


213 


height.  We  sheered  over  to  within  hailing  distance,  and 
were  challenged  (in  Portuguese),  “ What  steamer  is  that  ? ” 
Our  captain  answered  from  the  bridge,  “ Hevelius.”  “ All 
rightee  ” came  back  from  the  fortress,  and  on  we  sped,  past 
another  fortification,  on  a small  island  in  mid-channel,  and 
still  another,  on  an  island  far  to  the  left,  near  which  we 
anchored  for  the  night,  the  forts  meanwhile  exchanging 
some  lime-light  signals.  The  harbor  had  here  widened  to 
about  two  miles.  On  the  left  lay  the  city  of  Rio  de  Janeiro, 
with  a broad  street,  at  the  water’s  edge,  some  four  or  five 
miles  in  length.  This,  having  an  unbroken  line  of  gas-lamps, 
presented  a very  beautiful  appearance,  as  did  also  the  hills 
beyond,  bespangled  with  thousands  of  scattered  lights.  Up- 
on the  opposite  side  of  the  bay  is  a large  suburb  called  Uic- 
theroy.  Here,  on  projecting  points,  are  two  more  fortifica- 
tions, and  a headland  about  the  center  of  the  great  city  bears 
another;  so  that  altogether  Rio,  with  its  seven  fortresses, 
ought  to  consider  itself  amply  protected,  especially  when  we 
add  the  presence  of  several  huge  ironclads  moored  a short 
distance  from  the  shore.  As  our  anchor  fell  to  the  distant 
bottom,  the  bright  moon  rose  above  the  eastern  hills,  and 
illumined  a marvelous  scene.  The  whole  bay  was  sur- 
rounded by  little,  pointed,  and  turreted  hills,  standing  one 
behind  the  other,  in  every  conceivable  position,  and  ranging 
in  every  possible  direction.  Some  were  bare,  others  covered 
with  vegetation ; but  at  the  bases  of  all  could  be  seen  palms, 
bananas,  and  other  tropical  plants.  The  bay  was  sprinkled 
with  islands  near  its  shores,  which  were  very  deeply  indented. 
The  northern  banks  were  too  low  and  too  distant  to  be  dis- 
tinguishable, but  the  splendid  range  of  the  Organ  Mountains, 
some  three  thousand  feet  in  height,  could  be  dimly  outlined 
in  the  far  distance.  Beyond  old  Sugar-Loaf,  to  the  south- 
west, was  a precipitous  cone  called  the  Corcovado.  This 
peak  is  about  twenty-three  hundred  feet  in  height,  and 
has  a belvedere  crowning  its  summit,  which  is  reached  by  a 
cog-railway  like  those  of  the  Righi  and  Mount  Washington, 
and  from  which  a magnificent  view  of  the  bay  and  city  of 


214  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


Rio  may  be  obtained.  The  extreme  pictnresqueUess  of  all 
these  hills  about  the  bay  I leave  to  my  illustrations  rather 
than  to  my  pen.  At  first  I greatly  regretted  being  compelled 
to  enter  so  renowned  a harbor  at  night,  but  I afterward  con- 
gratulated myself ; for  I had  the  unusual  experience  of  be- 
holding it  crowned  by  starlight  and  gaslight  on  the  edge  of 
the  ocean’s  murky  darkness ; then  illumined  by  a glorious 
yellow  moon ; and,  finally,  sparkling  in  the  daylight  beside 
an  azure  sea.  Upon  going  on  deck  I beheld  what  must 
undoubtedly  be  called  the  most  romantic  and  amazing  group- 
ing and  display  of  natural  and  artificial  objects  to  be  wit- 
nessed on  earth.  I know  not  to  what  to  compare  this  city; 
it  is  altogether  unique  in  situation  and  appearance.  In  one 
sense  it  somewhat  resembles  Valparaiso,  with  its  streets  wind- 
ing about  the  bay  and  running  up  little  valleys,  and  its  build- 
ings covering  the  sides  of  steep  hills.  But  in  Valparaiso  we 
have  an  amphitheatre  of  long,  narrow  ridges,  while  here  we 
have  many  little  conical  peaks.  In  Valparaiso  were  twenty 
ridges ; here  were  twenty  peaks.  There  the  ridges  were 
much  alike ; here  no  two  peaks  wTere  of  the  same  height, 
shape,  or  position.  In  the  former  city  we  have  a sort  of 
background  peculiar  to  the  temperate  zone  ; but  in  Rio  there 
is  the  wonderful  flora  of  the  tropics,  with  all  its  marvelous 
light  and  shade.  Rio  is  really  a hundred  times  as  pictur- 
esque as  Valparaiso.  Such  a wonderfully  diversified  picture  I 
have  never  seen  elsewhere.  There  seem  to  be  nowhere  two 
heights,  or  two  levels,  or  two  lines  of  any  kind  the  same. 
The  buildings  of  Rio  remind  me  of  a city  of  southern  Italy, 
although  it  is  rather  more  Oriental  than  any  town  of  the  great 
Mediterranean  peninsula.  The  walls  of  the  houses  are  col- 
ored red,  yellow,  brown,  and  pink,  with  variegated  trim- 
mings, which,  with  the  curious  spires  and  domes  of  the 
churches,  the  tops  of  the  scattered  brown  and  gray  peaks,  the 
verdure  in  the  distance,  with  a great  expanse  of  shining  water 
in  the  foreground,  lighted  by  an  early  tropical  sun,  produced 
altogether  a scene  at  which  I gazed  entranced.  The  great 
bay  of  Rio,  with  its  average  depth  of  sixty  feet,  could  easily 


GOVERNOR’S 

ISLAND 


afeeicao 


S.Christovi 


^Glori; 


Corcovado 


Botanical  Gardens 


fCatumduba 


Chart  of  the  Bay  of  Rio  Janeiro. 


RIO  RE  JANEIRO. 


215 


contain  the  navies  of  the  whole  world.  It  is  fed  by  a few 
goodly  sized  and  several  smaller  rivers  around  its  northern 
shores.  Besides  the  great  number  of  small  islands  is  one 
very  large,  in  the  western  corner,  with  the  home-like  name 
of  Governor’s  Island;  but  most  of  this  magnificent  bay  is 
quite  unobstructed  for  shipping.  We  hove  anchor,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  our  permanent  anchorage,  near,  the  custom-house 
and  the  business  portion  of  the  city.  We  passed  ferry-boats 
which  were  almost  a counterpart  of  those  in  New  York  Har- 
bor, some  huge  Brazilian  ironclads,  and  men-of-war  of  other 
nationalities,  and  then  reached  a few  steamers,  with  a fleet  of 
ships  beyond,  the  greatest  number  of  them  being  anchored . 
far  out  in  the  bay,  though  it  is  quite  possible  for  large  vessels 
to  come  right  up  to  the  splendid  wharves  which  fringe  much 
of  the  city. 

I land  near  an  arsenal,  and  where  a gigantic  ironclad  stands 
upon  the  stocks  in  process  of  construction.  I walk  through 
a portion  of  the  business  section,  and  then  take  a tram  to  the 
hotel  in  the  southern  part  of  the  city.  The  old  business 
paid  of  Bio  is  built  upon  level  ground,  on  a broad  point  of 
land  which  juts  out  into  the  bay.  This  part  of  the  city 
seems  like  a bad  imitation  of  Lisbon.  The  streets  run  ap- 
proximately at  right  angles,  but  are  generally  not  more  than 
ten  feet  in  width,  paved  with  u Belgian  blocks,”  with  an  open 
central  drain  to  which  they  slope,  and  with  sidewalks  on  a 
level  with  the  street  and  not  more  than  three  feet  in  width. 
The  streets  are  so  narrow  that  one  does  not  wonder  carriages 
are  not  permitted  in  the  narrowest  and  most  frequented  of 
them.  Even  in  the  others  it  is  a bad  arrangement  that  side- 
walk and  carriage-way  should  be  on  a level,  for  the  carriages 
continually  drive  upon  the  pavements/  almost  grazing  the 
store-fronts  and  compelling  foot-passengers  to  jump  into  the 
nearest  doorway.  The  houses  which  border  these  streets  are 
very  picturesque.  No  two  are  alike.  They  range  from  two 
to  four  stories  in  height,  and  are  in  every  style  of  architect- 
ure, though  all  have  little  projecting  balconies,  and  many 
have  alcoves  on  the  upper  flights.  Some  of  the  larger  and 


216  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

handsomer  stores  and  public  buildings  are  built  of  cut  stone 
— a sort  of  gray  granite — others  have  door  and  window  frames 
of  stone,  and  the  remainder  of  brick  and  stucco ; or  the  first 
story  will  be  of  stone,  and  the  others  of  brick  and  stucco. 
The  walls  of  all  the  brick  and  stucco  buildings  are  gayly 
colored,  and  this,  with  their  Carved^  balconies,  low  ceilings, 
and  small  windows,  reminds  one  strongly  of  Lima.  The 
ground-floors  are  occupied  as  stores,  generally  small  and 
darkish,  but  containing  a most  extraordinary  variety  of  goods 
of  every  quality  and  quantity.  As  in  Montevideo,  most  of 
the  streets  have  circlets  of  gas  crossing  them  at  frequent  in- 
tervals for  illuminating  the  city  on  feast-days,  which  are 
here,  as  elsewhere  in  South  America,  many  and  merry. 
Every  house  has,  besides,  its  flag-staff  projecting  over  the 
street.  Then  the  shopkeepers  have  a way  of  suspending  all 
sorts  of  signs  and  advertisements — placing  also  a large  portion 
of  their  stock  in  trade  in  the  doors  and  windows — in  such  a 
manner  as  to  almost  meet  above  your  head,  and  serve,  together 
with  many  awnings,  to  shut  out  the  torrid  sun,  but  alas ! the 
air  also.  The  signs  mostly  project  horizontally  above  the 
heads  of  the  passers-by,  who,  as  they  stroll,  may  thus  very 
easily  get  a good  general  idea  of  the  imports  and  industries 
of  the  country.  In  these  commercial  schedules  I was  always 
reminded  of  the  streets  of  the  great  Chirlese  cities,  and  nota- 
bly those  of  Canton,  which  are  quite  as  wide  as  many  of 
those  of  Rio  Janeiro.  Tramways,  of  both  narrow  and  broad 
gauge,  thread  the  streets  of  Rio  in  every  direction.  The  cars 
are  all  open  at  the  sides,  and  are  drawn  by  strong  and  fleet 
mules.  Many  other  public  vehicles  are  drawn  by  mules  or 
horses.  One  of  the  conveyances  is  a sort  of  light,  two- 
wheeled, single-seated  gig  or  tilbury,  wfltb  one  horse,  and  an- 
other is  like  the  conventional  hackney-coach,  with  two  seats, 
and  drawn  generally  by  two  mules.  The  coachmen  are  often 
mulattoes,  and  those  attached  to  private  stables  are  very  gor- 
geously liveried.  Of  the  many  public  squares  in  Rio,  most 
are  ^comparatively  small.  The  hotel  I found  to  be  in  the 
style  of  those  in  the  East  Indies,  with  a profusion  of  shower- 


Statue  of  Dom  Pedro  I. 


RIO  EE  JANEIRO. 


217 


baths  in  great  stone  tanks,  and  rooms  in  detached  cottages, 
opening  upon  fine  gardens  filled  with  odd-looking  trees  and 
beautiful  flowers.  Many  great  trees  were  covered  with  enor- 
mous bunches  of  scarlet  and  yellow  flowers,  just  as  small 
shrubs  are  with  us  at  home.  Always  striking  and  interesting, 
too,  were  the  noble  columnar  palms,  with  their  smooth,  gray- 
ish trunks,  fifty  feet  in  height,  and  topped  by  great  tufts  of 
leaves  twelve  feet  in  length.  It  is  midsummer  here— though 
“New-Year’s”  in  New  York — and  exceedingly  hot  (ther- 
mometer 100°  Fahr.).  The  people  in  the  streets  are  dressed 
in  light  linen  clothes.  Only  those  compelled  by  business 
interests  reside  at  this  time  in  Bio,  and  most  of  these  have 
their  sleeping  quarters  on  one  or  another  of  the  many  beauti- 
ful outlying  hills.  All  the  hotels  are  situated  in  the  south- 
ern extremity  of  the  city,  near  the  shores  of  the  bay.  The 
rooms  are  carpetless,  but  contain  a cane-bottomed  bed,  with 
very  thin  mattress  and  pillow,  mosquito-curtains,  and  com- 
fortable bent-wood  furniture,  with,  of  course,  a hammock 
for  day-lounging.'  The  windows  and  doors  will  probably  be 
of  blinds  only. 

The  day  following  my  arrival  l visited  the  Corcovado 
peak,  the  view  from  which  is  the  great  “show-sight”  of 
Bio.  This  peak  is  situated  some  three  or  four  miles  in  a 
direction  southwesterly  from  the  heart  of  the  city.  It  is  a 
great  granite  cone,  precipitous  at  all  points  save  one,  and 
up  this  winds  the  mountain  railway.  The  tramway  takes 
you  through  the  beautiful  suburbs  to  the  neat  little  station, 
whence  nine  trains  each  way  are  run  on  Sundays  and  holi- 
days, and  four  each  way  on  other  days.  Before  entering  the 
single  car,  which  holds  about  fifty  passengers,  and  which  the 
engine,  with  an  inclined  boiler,  pushes  before  it,  I noticed 
that  the  engine  was  made  in  Switzerland,  with  central  cog- 
wheels and  brakes.  The  road  was  surveyed  and  built  by  a 
Brazilian  engineer.  The  engines  weigh  twelve  tons.  The 
rolling-stock  cost  three  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars, 
and  the  road  carries  about  fifty  thousand  people  a year.  To 
reach  the  summit  of  the  Corcovado  the  railway  winds  around 


218  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


the  sides  of  the  valleys  and  along  the  ridges,  a distance  of 
nearly  two  miles.  It  passes  right  through  a virgin  forest  of 
splendid  trees,  shrubs,  creepers,  ferns,  and  orchids.  The  great- 
est declivity  on  the  road  is  thirty  feet  in  a hundred,  against 
twenty -five  in  a hundred  on  the  Eighi  and  thirty-three  in  a 
hundred  on  Mount  Washington.  The  curves  are  uniformly 
of  a radius  of  three  hundred  and  ninety  feet.  Hear  the  first 
station  is  an  iron  viaduct,  about  three  hundred  feet  in  length 
and  seventy-five  in  height.  Several  smaller  viaducts  are 
bnilt,  but  there  seems  to  have  been  much  more  cutting  than 
filling,  the  total  excavation  amounting  to  seventy-seven  thou- 
sand cubic  metres.  So  much  for  the  physical  and  mechani- 
cal facts  of  the  road.  It  is  more  difficult  to  voice  the  impres- 
sions received  while  making  the  journey  to  the  summit  of 
this  natural  “coigne  of  vantage.”  Few  things  are  more 
difficult  than  to  portray  in  language  the  splendor,  grace,  and 
beauty  of  tropical  scenery.  Theophile  Gautier  could  have 
done  it,  for  his  temperament  was  tropic,  his  ink  was  equato- 
rial, and  his  pen  was  nibbed  with  sunlight.  Ho  matter  how 
far  you  may  wander,  the  plants  and  flowers  always  have  a 
strangeness,  the  atmosphere  new  effects.  In  brief,  in  ascend- 
ing Corcovado  you  pass  through  the  heart  of  a tropical  wood- 
land sitting  in  a comfortable  railway-car ! About  two  thirds 
of  the  distance  to  the  summit  a good  hotel  has  been  built  on 
the  side  of  an  immense  valley,  over  which  is  a magnificent 
prospect  of  the  plain  where  the  famous  botanical  garden  has 
been  laid  out,  a great  lagoon,  some  turret-topped,  rocky  hills, 
and  the  limitless  ocean  studded  with  little  islands  beyond. 
The  hotel  is  provided  with  a French  restaurant,  and  even 
a billiard-room  and  a shooting-gallery.  It  is  the  custom 
of  many  of  the  city  people,  during  the  hot,  unhealthy  sum- 
mer, to  go  there  to  dine,  sleep,  and  breakfast,  or  even  to 
dine,  and  return  to  town  in  a late  train.  On  holidays  the 
place  is  crowded.  Many  fine  walks  diversify  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  through  occasional  breaks  in  the  dense  forest  you 
obtain  views  any  one  of  which  is  worth  a voyage  from  Hew 
York.  The  nights  are  cool,  and,  what  is  also  greatly  to  the 


By  Rail  to  the  Corcovado. 


. 


RIO  EE  JANEIRO. 


219 


purpose,  you  breathe  pure  air.  From  a point  just  beside  the 
hotel  you  can  see  the  towering  top  of  Corcovado  to  the  east- 
ward, but  you  can  not  see  the  bay  of  Rio  nor  the  city ; the 
view  is  to  the  south  and  west.  The  plain  is  everywhere 
dotted  with  the  picturesque  villas  of  wealthy  citizens,  and 
among  the  great  green  groves  of  trees  you  may  occasionally 
see  one  covered  with  the  most  brilliant  flowers.  Between 
all  course  the  yellow  roads  and  paths,  while  the  ocean  gleams 
in  purple  haze,  with  a border  of  emerald  shore. 

On  continuing  the  ascent  from  the  hotel  you  pass  over 
many  steep  grades  along  a ridge  so  sharp  that  you  may  look 
down  toward  Bio  on  one  side  and  toward  the  ocean  on  the 
other,  and  suddenly  you  come  out  of  the  woods  on  to  the  very 
brink  of  a precipice,  with  a sheer  descent  of  nearly  two  thou- 
sand feet.  Part  of  the  road-bed  has  been  blasted  from  the 
cliff,  while  some  of  it  is  built  upon  its  very  face.  And  here, 
to  add  to  your  terror,  is  the  greatest  declivity  of  the  railway. 
It  is  a more  appalling  passage  than  any  upon  Mount  Wash- 
ington or  the  Righi.  Should  any  gearing  yield,  a rail  or  a 
nail  break,  or  any  sudden  obstruction  occur,  nothing  could 
prevent  the  train  being  hurled  over  the  precipice.  Soon 
after  leaving  this  mauvais  jpas  we  have  glimpses  of  the  bay, 
the  Organ  Mountains  beyond  and  above,  and  the  capital  here 
and  there  between  its  many  hills  at  one’s  feet.  The  train 
halts  about  two  hundred  feet  below  the  top,  at  a point  be- 
yond which  it  would  be  impossible  to  advance  except  by  a 
spiral  tunnel  of  the  rocky  summit  itself.  The  time  con- 
sumed in  the  ascent  is  just  an  hour.  The  summit  is  nearly 
a bare  granite  rock,  in  which  great  steps  have  been  cut  to 
facilitate  the  visitor’s  progress.  This,  as  well  as  a neigh- 
boring rock,  nearer  the  bay  and  a little  lower,  has  been  sur- 
rounded by  stout  concrete  walls.  On  the  first  rock  there 
was  a great,  iron,  octagonal  belvedere,  which  was  fastened 
deep  down  into  the  solid  stone  by  enormous  iron  bars ; for 
though  usually  only  mild  trade-winds  blow,  sometimes  there 
are  gales  which,  at  this  height  and  exposure,  would  severely 
test  any  structure.  The  other  and  smaller  in  closure — it  is 


220  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


hardly  ten  feet  in  diameter — is  uncovered,  and  is  reached 
from  the  belvedere  by  steps  cut  in  the  rocks  and  a narrow 
passage  bounded  on  either  side  by  blood-curdling  precipices. 
On  all  sides,  in  fact,  except  that  on  which  you  must  approach, 
are  sheer  precipices  of  more  or  less  bare  rock,  fifteen  hun- 
dred to  two  thousand  feet  deep.  A stone  merely  dropped 
over  the  crowning  walls  would,  in  most  places,  descend  at 
once  to  the  plains  far  below.  The  wonderful  panorama  un- 
folded in  every  direction  is  unsurpassed  in  magnificence  any- 
where in  the  world.  Nowhere  is  there  so  grand,  so  varied, 
so  picturesque  a view — mountains,  hills,  the  ocean,  a huge, 
island-studded  bay,  and  a city  of  nearly  four  hundred  thou- 
sand inhabitants.  I had  heard  of  the  marvels  of  this  mid-air 
vision,  and  had  prepared  my  mind,  but  the  reality  almost 
took  away  my  breath.  I do  not  wonder  that  many  a specta- 
tor has  been  moved  to  tears.  There  are  doubtless  vistas 
more  awe-inspiring,  such  as  those  of  the  Himalayas  or  of  the 
Bolivian  Andes,  but  I know  of  none  more  emotionally  im- 
pressive than  this  at  Bio.  It  is  a peep  from  a balloon  which 
shows  you  at  a glance  how  a great  section  of  the  globe  has 
been  made  and  ordered,  how  land  and  water  are  distributed, 
and  how  man,  the  innovator,  has  taken  advantage  of  every 
physical  fact  to  impose  upon  them  his  own  designs.  I could 
write  a chapter  on  the  great  insight  into  the  workings  of 
nature  and  man  as  afforded  by  the  top  of  Corcovado.  The 
total  panorama  embraces  at  least  fifty  square  miles,  which,  on 
a clear  day,  may  be  distinctly  seen  without  the  aid  of  tele- 
scope or  field-glass.  During  my  stay  at  Rio  I made  three  or 
four  visits  to  the  summit  of  Corcovado,  where  I would  sit  for 
hours,  always  seeing  something  new,  or  something  old  which 
made  a new  impression.  On  one  occasion  I remember  the 
air  was  of  such  crystalline  brightness,  and  the  sky  so  abso- 
lutely cloudless,  that  I saw,  clearly  outlined,  the  entire  extent 
of  the  splendid  Organ  Mountains,  and  almost  imagined  that 
I saw  to  the  end  of  eternity  itself. 


CHAPTER  XXYI. 


STKEET  SCENES. 

A book  might  be  written  entitled  “ Street  Scenes  in 
Rio.”  The  Brazilians,  both  men  and  women,  spend  a large 
part  of  their  lives  in  the  streets,  which  abound  with  the  most 
striking  sights  and  sounds  for  the  new-comer.  Walk  along 
the  Ouvidor — the  principal  business  street — at  almost  any 
hour  of  the  day,  and  you  will  find  it  full  of  men,  not  hurry- 
ing along  in  the  excitement  and  worry  of  business  activity, 
but  standing  and  chatting  in  couples  and  in  large  and  small 
groups  as  at  a reception.  Walk  along  any  of  the  private 
streets,  and  you  will  notice  the  heads,  and  most  of  the  bodies 
also,  of  women  hanging  over  the  window-sills  and  minutely 
scrutinizing  every  passer-by.  The  curiosity  of  the  Brazil- 
ians is  not  only  inordinate,  it  is  morbid.  During  business 
hours,  in  the  busiest  streets  (if  any  of  them  are  busy,  as  we 
understand  the  term  in  Horth  America),  you  will  find  every 
doorway  blocked  by  merchants,  who  are  very  closely  engaged 
in  staring  into  the  streets.  They  do  not  seem  to  expect  any- 
thing especial  to  happen — nothing  does  happen  ; they  simply 
gaze  upon  every  passer-by  as  if  he  or  she  were  the  very  first 
human  being  they  had  ever  seen.  Xow,  if  the  object  of  this 
doorway  and  street  lolling  were  the  hope  or  expectancy  of 
seeing  an  occasional  fire,  a procession,  a police  arrest,  or  even 
a dog-fight,  there  might  be  a partial  excuse  for  it,  though 
business  did  suffer.  But  even  during  the  small  portion  of  the 
day  that  the  merchants  are  in  their  stores,  they  do  not  pursue 
their  vocations  with  any  ardor  or  earnestness.  They  treat  a 
customer  with  a most  nonchalant  air,  as  if  they  cared  nothing 


222  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


for  his  money  in  comparison  with  a quiet,  lazy  life.  Some- 
times the  shopkeepers  reply  at  once,  to  your  inquiry,  that 
they  have  not  the  article  which  you  wish,  and,  if  afterward 
you  discover  it,  they  merely  smile  and  arch  their  eyebrows. 
Frequently,  if  you  ask  for  a particular  thing,  they  will  direct 
you  to  a large  case  or  cabinet,  and,  opening  it,  motion  you  to 
search  for  what  you  have  asked,  while  they  are  busy  peering 
out  the  door,  smoking  a little  paper  cigar,’  or  joking  with  a 
friend.  No  matter  how  much  or  how  frequently  you  buy, 
they  allow  no  discount.  If  you  object  to  an  extortionate 
price,  they  repeat  it,  and  simply  shrug  their  shoulders; 
whether  you  buy  or  not  is  quite  the  same  to  them.  Another 
exasperation  to  a foreign  purchaser  is  to  find  a shop  closed 
on  account  of  its  being  one  of  the  many  feast-days,  or  per- 
haps the  alleged  business  hours  have  not  begun,  or  may  be 
they  are  over. 

It  is  well  understood  that  the  members  of  the  Latin  race 
are  nowhere  averse  both  to  see  and  be  seen.  They  appear 
to  have  very  much  more  time  at  their  disposal  than  other 
races.  As  they  are  not  generally  a studious,  reading  people, 
possibly  their  lives  would  be  very  dull  but  for  this  idiosyn- 
crasy. At  any  rate,  it  is  undoubtedly  the  most  impressive 
trait  of  the  Brazilian.  It  does  not  belopg  alone  to  the  women, 
to  the  uneducated,  to  the  lower  classes ; it  is  a universal 
national  characteristic.  At  the  theatre  I have  seen  a large 
part  of  the  audience  looking  at  each  other,  while  an  interesting 
performance  was  in  progress.  Frequently,  on  a rail  way- jour- 
ney, I have  been  the  only  passenger  who  would  not  leave  his 
seat  and  rush  to  look  out  at  a station,  where  again  would  be 
quite  as  many  people  drawn  from  their  homes  and  stores  by 
a similar  irresistible  inquisitiveness.  Most  of  the  houses  are 
provided  with  window  balconies,  but  the  window-sills  of 
those  which  are  not  are  always  covered  with  cushions,  over 
which  the  occupants  may  lean  in  their  acute  interest  in  passing 
strangers,  both  animal  and  human.  Hear  the  gates  of  those 
rich  people  whose  mansions  are  unavoidably  situated  at  some 
distance  from  the  street,  pretty  little  summer-houses  are  built, 


STREET  SCENES \ 


223 


where  the  family  may  sit  and  see.  The  most  splendid  house 
in  Rio,  if  not  in  all  South  America,  has  been  sacrificed  to 
this  peculiarity  of  excessive  curiosity.  The  large  three-story 
palace  is  built  directly  upon  a dirty,  hot,  noisy,  dusty  street, 
with  the  paving-stones  running  quite  up  to  the  house-walls, 
and  not  a tree  to  screen  or  set  off  its  cold,  stiff  stone-work. 
As  the  proprietor  owns  a great  stretch  of  land  extending 
from  the  street  quite  down  to  the  bay  and  covered  with  splen- 
did old  trees,  fruit  and  flower  gardens,  walks,  fountains,  and 
statues,  one  wonders  why  this  stately  edifice  was  not  placed 
in  the  center  of  the  grounds,  or  at  least  near  the  bay.  But 
the  owner  passes  a good  part  of  his  time  in  the  country, 
where  there  are  not  many  people  to  stare  at  save  his  servants, 
and,  like  all  the  rest,  when  he  is  in  town,  he  must  pry  into 
the  streets.  Yet,  with  all  this  fault-finding,  I feel  that  some 
allowances  must  be  made,  especially  for  the  women.  Their 
servants  relieve  them  of  all  household  work  ; there  is  not 
much  marketing  to  do ; the  houses  contain  but  little  furni- 
ture to  care  for ; they  do  not  read  ; and  society  ordains 
that,  generally,  unless  accompanied  by  husband  or  other 
male  relative,  they  must  remain  quietly  at  home.  Without 
tastes  to  gratify,  without  resources  in  themselves,  they  are 
literally  driven  to  pass,  quite  one  half  of  their  lives  hanging 
over  a window-sill  or  lounging  in  a balcony.  Many  of  the 
women  of  the  upper  classes,  however,  take  to  music — sing- 
ing and  piano- playing — and  the  number  of  consecutive  hours 
a day  they  will  devote  to  practice  shows  clearly  enough  how 
straitened  they  are  for  other  employment  or  enjoyment.  A 
few  become  good  pianists,  but  the  majority  are  wretched 
strummers,  going  over  and  over  again,  day  after  day,  frivo- 
lous French,  Spanish,  or  Portuguese  operas.  The  windows 
and  doors  of  the  houses  being  always  open,  the  neighbors  are 
apt  to  get  a surfeit  of  these.  In  short,  to  be  more  truthful  than 
gallant,  I must  describe  the  music  practice  of  Rio  as  a public 
nuisance.  And  this  music,  with  horn-tooting  added,  fre- 
quently continues  all  night  in  private  (though  more  properly 
public)  balls,  so  that  sleep  is  an  impossibility.  It  seems  a 


224  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMEBIC  A. 

pity  that  the  climate  of  Rio  will  prevent  municipal  edicts 
similar  to  those  once  issued  in  Weimar,  Germany,  to  the 
effect  that  persons  in  the  act  of  playing  on  the  piano  must 
not  leave  their  windows  open,  and  that  every  person  wishing 
to  give  a musical  party  at  night  must  pay  a tax  of  twelve 
dollars. 

Another  thing,  which  at  once  attracts  the  attention  of  the 
stranger  in  Rio  is  the  sallow,  half-dead  look,  the  undersized 
and  meager  appearance  of  the  Brazilians,  at  least  of  the  white 
Brazilians.  The  negroes,  on  the  other  hand,  are  sleek,  vig- 
orous, and  jolly.  But  Rio  has,  in  truth,  a very  hot  and  viti- 
ated atmosphere — for  at  least  one  half  of  the  year — which 
slowly  but  surely  saps  the  powers  of  both  mind  and  body, 
and  is  particularly  deadly  to  the  European  or  Rorth  Ameri- 
can immigrant.  It  is  sad  to  think  that  one  of  the  fairest 
cities  in  the  world  is  also  one  of  the  most  fatal  to  health  and 
even  existence.  Fortunately,  there  are  sanitariums  in  the 
numerous  hills  about  the  city,  and  to  these  sick  citizens  often 
flee,  literally  for  their  lives.  During  the  hottest  season  the 
Emperor,  the  court,  and  diplomatic  body,  and  also  Brazilian 
noblemen  and  capitalists,  reside  on  the  comparatively  cool 
and  wholesome  heights  of  the  Organ  Mountains,  at  Petropo- 
lis  or  Theresopolis.  Others,  whose  business  requires  their 
presence  nearer  the  city,  spend  their  evenings,  nights,  and 
mornings  at  one  or  the  other  of  the  neighboring  hill  resorts, 
such  as  Paineiras  on  the  Corcovado,  Tijuca,  or  near  the  Gavea. 
It  is  not  alone  the  vitiated  air  during  the  day,  but  also  the 
hot,  stagnant  nights  which  prevent  sleep  and  weaken  the  sys- 
tem, while  a lack  of  exercise  and  an  excess  of  work  and 
worry  produce  dangerous  fevers  and  bowel  complaints. 
This  brings  me  to  say  a few  words  about  the  dreadful 
scourge,  yellow  fever,  with  which  Rio  has  been  so  frightful- 
ly afflicted.  Yellow  fever  in  Brazil  resembles  the  cholera  in 
India  in  at  least  one  respect : you  may  be  perfectly  well  and 
strong  one  day,  and  the  next  not  only  be  dead  but  buried. 
In  a very  bad  season  the  death-rate  from  yellow  fever  in  Rio 
has  been  as  high  as  two  hundred  a day.  In  ordinary  sea- 


STREET  SCENES. 


225 


sons,  of  seventy  people  who  are  attacked,  at  least  twenty  will 
be  likely  to  die.  Since  its  first  appearance,  some  forty  years 
ago,  it  has  hardly  missed  a summer’s  visit  of  greater  or  lesser 
gravity.  The  drier  the  summer,  the  worse  the  fever.  In 
fact,  in  very  dry  years,  such  as  those  of  1873-’7d,  the  fever 
generally  takes  the  form  of  an  epidemic.  The  Brazilians, 
both  white  and  black,  suffer  much  less  from  it  than  foreign- 
ers, and  among  the  latter  those  nations  which  happen  to  be 
represented  there  by  the  lowest  classes,  as  the  Italians  and 
Portuguese,  are  decimated,  owing  to  their  filthy  habits  and 
the  greater  hardship  of  their  existence.  A sort  of  compen- 
sation is  found,  however,  if  compensation  it  can  be  called,  for 
while  the  negroes  are  the  freest  from  the  ravages  of  fever,  it 
is  almost  they  alone  who  suffer  from  another  terrible  and 
prevalent  disease,  namely,  small  pox.  The  great  causes  of 
the  prevalence  and  virulence  of  yellow  fever  and  small-pox 
at  Rio  are  the  bad  drainage  of  the  city,  the  dearth  of  fresh 
air  occasioned  by  so  many  surrounding  hills,  and  the  stagna- 
tion of  water  and  garbage  along  the  indented  shores  of  the 
bay.  To  these  must  be  added  the  other  charge  of  the  dirty 
habits  and  hard  and  poor  living  of  so  many  who  become  vic- 
tims. Latterly  much  has  been  done  to  improve  the  drain- 
age. An  offer  has  been  made  by  an  English  company  to 
level  one  of  the  smaller  hills  back  of  the  city,  which  would 
let  in  a great  current  of  pure  air,  and  also  have  a tendency  to 
reduce  the  temperature  several  degrees.  The  stagnant  water 
of  the  bay  would  hardly  seem  remediable.  "W ith  the  habits 
of  the  people  government  has  long  since  successfully  grappled. 
Very  much  has  been  said  about  the  smell  in  the  streets  and 
their  filthy  condition.  I,  however,  must  say  I generally 
found  them  well  paved  and  clean,  and  the  smells  no  worse 
than  in  other  great  cities  similarly  situated.  It  would,  in- 
deed, be  a model  city  which  in  the  tropic  zone  was  quite 
pure  and  sweet. 

Upon  landing  at  Rio  and  making  your  first  purchase,  you 
are  amazed  at  being  told  that  some  trifle  you  have  selected 
will  cost  so  many  hundreds  of  this  or  even  thousands  of  that ; 

15 


226  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


and  yon  are  no  less  astounded  when  the  bill  of  an  ordinary 
account  is  presented  you  which  contains  five  or  six  figures. 
The  Brazilian  currency  is  probably,  at  least  in  theory,  the 
most  infinitesimal  of  any  in  the  world,  except  the  antediluvian 
small  shells  called  cowries , and  circulating  as  money  in  Africa 
and  India.  Thus,  the  unit  of  the  Brazilian  monetary  system 
is  a real , written  0$001,  which  is  equal  in  value  to  one  twen- 
tieth of  a United  States  cent  (a  cowrie  would  be  equal  to 
about  one  fiftieth).  Of  course,  there  is  no  such  coin  in  circu- 
lation, the  smallest  being  ten  reis  (the  plural  of  real),  a cop- 
per half -cent.  There  is,  by-tlie-by,  in  circulation  in  Hindos- 
tan  a copper  coin  of  the  value  of  one  twelfth  of  an  Ameri- 
can cent.  In  Brazil  a copper  coin  of  forty  reis  circulates,  to 
which  succeed  two  nickel  coins  of  one  hundred  and  two  hun- 
dred reis  respectively.  Uext  comes  the  paper  money  in 
notes  of  one  thousand  reis,  called  a milreis ; two  milreis,  five, 
ten,  twenty,  thirty,  fifty,  one  hundred,  two,  three,  four,  and 
a maximum  of  five  hundred,  which  is  thus  distractingly  ex- 
pressed numerically,  500$000 ; though  there  is  an  imaginary 
denomination,  named  conto , which  is  a thousand  milreis  and 
is  thus  written,  1:  000$.  The  par  value  of  the  paper  milreis 
is  equal  to  fifty-five  American  cents,  but  at  the  time  of  my 
visit  it  was  at  a discount,  being  only  worth  thirty-six  cents. 
A little  gold  and  silver  were  also’  in  circulation.  A strange 
prejudice  is  entertained  in  Brazil  against  silver  coins ; and, 
while  the  dirtiest  and  most  ragged  bill  is  accepted  without 
hesitation,  the  equivalent  silver  coin  is  received  reluctantly, 
and  got  rid  of  as  soon  as  possible. 

The  market  of  Bio  is  situated  directly  upon  the  harbor, 
where  are  basins  of  cut  stone  for  the  boats  which  bring  a 
great  part  of  the  produce  from  the  islands  and  fertile  shores 
of  the  bay.  The  market  building  is  an  ^normous  affair,  cov- 
ering a large  block,  with  several  annexes  on  adjoining  streets. 
Several  open  squares  are  filled  with  venders.  The  supply 
of  fish  and  fruits  was  very  profuse,  as  was  to  be  expected 
from  the  tropical  situation  of  the  city.  Among  the  fish  I 
noticed  the  ray,  skate,  mackerel,  prawns,  and  oysters.  Among 


A Market-Woman 


STREET  SCENES. 


227 


the  fruits  were  oranges,  lemons,  bananas,  pears,  cherimoyas, 
and  pineapples.  In  one  part  of  the  market  were  many  live 
animals  for  sale,  such  as  monkeys,  pigs,  dogs,  cats,  and  mar- 
mosets ; also  birds,  such  as  flamingoes,  parrots,  pigeons,  ma- 
caws, and  Guinea-fowl.  The  greater  number  of  the  market- 
women  seemed  to  be  negresses,  and  great  fat,  glossy  creatures 
they  were.  They  wore  turbans  on  their  heads,  strings  of 
colored  beads  on  their  necks  and  arms,  and  chemises  so  loose 
as  to  be  continually  slipping  ofl  their  jet-black  shoulders. 
In  Rio  you  do  not  have  to  go  to  the  market  for  all  your  sup- 
plies ; some  of  them  come  to  you,  and  in  novel  fashion. 
Thus  you  frequently  have  calls  from  a turkey-seller,  a man 
who  generally  has  a brood  of  twenty  or  thirty  fowls,  which 
he  marshals  with  a long  pole,  keeps  cleverly  together,  and 
so  drives  them  from  door  to  door  for  inspection  and  sale. 
You  will  also  be  amused  at  an  early  morning  or  late  evening 
call  of  cows,  which  are  driven  from  house  to  house  and 
milked  in  measures  of  a size  to  suit  each  customer.  The 
calves  are  tied  to  their  mothers,  but  of  course  are  compelled 
to  wear  leather  muzzles.  This  saves  the  expense  of  horse, 
cart,  and  cans,  and  is  a convenient  method  of  obtaining  pure 
milk.  It  ought  to  be  introduced  in  those,  countries  where 
the  pump  so  frequently  intervenes  between  cow  and  con- 
sumer, or  where  the  favorite  revival  song  of  the  milkman  is, 
“ Shall  we  gather  at  the  river  % ” 

I will  conclude  this  chapter  with  an  account  of  the  great- 
est street  scene  of  Rio — the  Carnival — which,  however,  I 
did  not  witness  until  my  return,  on  March  7th,  from  a long 
journey  in  the  interior.  Of  course,  every  one  knows  that  this 
festival  of  merriment  and  revelry  occurs  in  most  Roman 
Catholic  countries  during  the  week  before  Lent.  In  Rio  the 
Carnival  lasts  three  days.  Business  is  wholly  suspended. 
There  are  processions  with  music,  and  the  streets  are  full  of 
people  in  mask  and  gown,  who  dance  and  sing  and  blow 
horns,  and  make  a generally  disagreeable  rumpus.  The 
streets  are  dressed  with  the  banners  of  all  nations,  little  flags, 
and  colored  lanterns,  are  lined  with  plants  in  tubs  and  strewn 


228  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


with  leaves.  Formerly  it  was  not  safe  to  go  into  the  streets 
without  a rubber  suit,  as  water  was  thrown  from  the  houses 
upon  passers-by.  Various  fruits  were  also  hurled  back  and 
forth.  To  wear  a high  silk  hat  during  the  Carnival  was 
simply  to  majke  a target  of  one’s  head.  But  the  police  de- 
termined to  break  up  these  scenes,  which  always  cause  dis- 
order and  sometimes  serious  breaches  of  the  peace.  I ob- 
served that  those  who  took  part  in  the  tawdry,  uninteresting 
processions,  and  the  dancing  and  monkey-play  of  the  first 
day,  were  mostly  negroes  and  mulattoes,  of  both  sexes.  The 
Carnival,  as  now  celebrated  at  Kio,  is  not  at  all  a saturnalia, 
but  rather  a season  of  jokes,  some  of  them  amusing  and 
harmless,  but  others  of  a serious  practical  character.  Al- 
though business  was  intermitted,  and  the  whole  city  given 
over  to  festivity,  I did  not  anywhere  observe  either  man  or 
woman  under  the  influence  of  liquor.  Nor  were  there  any 
serious  brawls  or  conflicts  with  the  police,  or  any  arrests 
made  by  them.  During  the  festival  all  the  theatres  have 
auditorium  and  stage  floored  to  a level,  where  at  night  mas- 
querade balls  are  given  to  the  pnblic.  On  the  last  of  the 
three  days,  from  noon  onward,  the  streets  were  filled  with  a 
restless,  swaying,  crowd,  disguised  in  dominos  and  masks, 
blowing  trumpets,  talking  in  falsetto  voices,  while  all  the 
balconies,  windows,  and  doors  of  the  houses  were  crowded 
with  onlookers,  women  and  children  being  especially  promi- 
nent. But  neither  those  in  the  streets  below  nor  balconies 
above  appeared  to  be  in  holiday  attire  or  fine  dress,  and  for 
a very  good  reason.  It  is  a custom  of  these  people,  instead 
of  pelting  each  other  with  bon-bons,  as  in  Home  and  Mexico, 
to  squirt  perfumed  water  over  one  another.  This  is  con- 
tained in  little  leaden  vials,  such  as  those  in  which  painters’ 
colors  are  packed,  and  great  stands  of  them  are  held  for  sale 
all  along  the  principal  streets.  The  men,  or  rather  boys, 
who  are  most  wedded  to  this  species  of  delirious  sport,  are 
rude  enough  to  devote  their  attention  to  the  passing  girls 
and  women,  and  I was  glad  to  see  these  victims  not  infre- 
quently vigorously  return  the  delicate  attention.  Often  you 


STREET  SCENES. 


229 


might  notice  half  a dozen  streams  playing  simultaneously 
upon  one  person,  whose  clothes  would  be  completely 
drenched. 

The  grand  procession  started  down  the  narrow  Ou vidor 
about  5 p.  m.,  and  wTas  two  hours  in  passing  a given  spot.  It 
was  of  course  the  conventional  procession — mounted  military 
bands,  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
great  floats  with  papier-mache  figures  caricaturing  recent 
political  events  and  their  participators,  shits  of  local  nature, 
all  sorts  and  conditions  of  goddesses,  carriages  filled  with 
“ merry  maskers,”  burlesque  actresses  in  tights,  etc.  The 
floats  bearing  comic  representions  of  recent  national  events 
were  received  by  the  good-natured  crowd  with  roars  of  laugh- 
ter. Just  then  some  unsavory  disclosures  had  been  made 
regarding  the  treatment  of  slaves,  and  I remember  a success- 
ful hit  was  that  made  by  a hill,  upon  the  top  of  which  four 
negroes  were  engaged  in  singing  and  playing  cards.  Up  this 
hill  two  slave-owners  were  striving  to  climb  in  pursuit  of  the 
negroes,  but  just  as  they  were  about  to  reach  the  summit, 
the  effigies  of  two  well-known  abolitionists  were  shot  up  out 
of  the  depths  before  them,  and  the  discomfited  owners  slid 
back  at  once  to  the  bottom  of  the  hill.  This  amusing  scene, 
controlled  by  interior  machinery,  was  frequently  repeated  as 
the  procession  wound  along.  King  Carnival  sat  upon  a gor- 
geous throne,  quite  thirty  feet  above  the  ground,  and  was 
drawn  by  eight  gayly  caparisoned  white  horses.  As  it 
became  dark,  several  of  the  streets  wTere  lighted  by  their 
circlets  of  gas,  passing  under  which  the  vari-colored  train 
made  a very  pretty  spectacle.  The  procession  kept  winding 
on,  up  one  street  and  down  another,  till  it  was  time  for  the 
various  balls  to  begin.  Enormous  crowds,  which  had  just 
seen  it  pass  one  point,  would  rush  off  to  another  street  and 
take  position  to  watch  it  again.  Their  interest  seemed  never 
to  flag,  nor  did  the  vivacity  of  those  taking  part  in  the 
pageant.  During  the  night  I visited  half  a dozen  of  the 
public  balls,  and  found  everywhere  the  greatest  enthusiasm 
and  gayety.  At  each  theatre  were  large  bands,  but  they 


230  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


played  very  inferior  dance-mnsic.  There  were  as  many 
spectators  as  dancers,  the  boxes  and  galleries  always  being 
crowded.  The  maskers  presented  small  variety  in  costnme, 
and  few  attempted  to  act  the  characters  assumed.  At  nearly 
all  the  theatres  a sort  of  fandango  or  cachuea , a lively  na- 
tional dance,  was  extremely  popular.  It  consisted  of  wrig- 
gling and  suggestive  posturing  rather  than  of  dancing,  and 
its  evolutions  were  extremely  vulgar,  not  to  say  indecent ; 
but  so  strong  is  custom  that  those  in  the  boxes,  who  were 
evidently  ladies,  watched  without  flinching,  and  with  great 
interest,  those  upon  the  floor,  who  certainly  were  not  ladies. 
Negroes  and  mulattoes  everywhere  predominated.  The 
childish  delight  and  extraordinary  gayety  of  these  partici- 
pants, unprompted  by  liquor,  and  unflaggingly  kept  up  all 
night,  were  undoubtedly  the  most  striking  characteristic  of 
this  Rio  Carnival.  Yet  every  one  was  lamenting  that  it  was 
not  what  it  used  to  be — that  the  pomp  and  mummery  were 
only  a dim  reflection  of  the  mirthful,  happy  days  gone  by. 
But  is  not  the  whole  Carnival  scheme  quite  out  of  place  in 
the  civilization  of  to-day  ? It  would  seem  more  at  home  in 
the  middle  ages. 


A Part  of  the  Avenue  of  Royal  Palms. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


PUBLIC  BUILDINGS  AND  GARDENS. 

The  famous  Botanical  Gardens  are  readied  by  tramway, 
at  a distance  of  about  six  miles  in  a southwesterly  direction 
from  the  central  part  of  the  city.  You  pass  for  a long  dis- 
tance along  the  shore  of  the  bay,  through  streets  of  the  ele- 
gant country-houses  owned  by  Rio  merchants,  each  of  a dif- 
ferent style  of  architecture,  and  all  surrounded  by  beautiful 
inclosures  of  trees,  fruits,  and  flowers,  with  ornamental  stat- 
uary and  fountains.  Some  of  the  houses  are  faced  with 
pretty  tiles  in  various  patterns,  others  are  covered  with  the 
red  tiles  similar  to  those  generally  used  upon  the  roofs,  but 
all  are  ornamented  wTith  raised  stucco-work  of  medallions, 
tracery,  and  arabesque  borders,  in  diversified  gay  tints.  The 
great  Sugar-Loaf  Peak,  near  the  entrance  of  the  harbor,  as 
we  approached  seemed  composed  of  solid  granite,  with  no 
vegetation  save  a little  grass.  It  is  always  a striking  feature 
in  the  every where-romantic  scenery  of  Rio  Bay.  You  can 
hardly  believe  that  it  is  not  artificial,  contrived  and  made  by 
human  skill  and  labor,  a monument  of  some  other  and  great- 
er Cheops.  Leaving  the  bay,  we  turned  to  the  west,  with 
the  rocky  needle  of  Corcovado  upon  our  right  and  ahead 
great  wild  peaks,  one  of  them,  called  the  Gavea,  rising  aloft 
in  the  form  of  an  enormous  square  tower.  The  road  con- 
tinued to  be  bordered  with  charming  villas  and  brilliant  gar- 
dens, as  our  team  of  mules  bore  us  briskly  along  at  the  rate 
of  six  miles  an  hour.  I have  never  seen  animals  in  better 
condition  anywhere ; but  the  tram  company  can  afford  the 
outlay,  for  its  stock  is  at  a premium  of  four  hundred  per 


232  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


cent.  We  were  soon  skirting  a great  bay,  with  a range  of 
hills  between  us  and  the  ocean,  and  this  brought  us  almost 
directly  under  the  Corcovado,  which  here  presents  a sheer 
precipice  of  gray  rock.  Not  very  far  distant  I spied  a part 
of  the  great  avenue  of  palms,  from  which  the  Botanical  Gar- 
dens derive  their  chief  glory.  * 

The  gardens  are  upon  level  ground,  near  a bay  or  inlet 
of  the  sea,  and  are  surrounded  by  the  wildest  of  mountain 
scenery,  a grand  setting  for  the  wonders  and  beauties  of  na- 
ture as  here  cherished  and  displayed  by  man.  Directly  fac- 
ing the  entrance-gate  extends  for  nearly  half  a mile  the  cele- 
brated avenue  of  royal  palms,  and  crossing  it  at  right  angles, 
parallel  with  the  street,  is  another  avenue  of  a little  less 
length  but  hardly  less  splendor.  The  main  avenue  consists 
of  a hundred  and  fifty  trees,  placed  thirty  feet  apart,  ar- 
ranged in  a double  row,  inclosing  a path  twenty  feet  wide. 
I say  “ inclosing,”  for  as  you  look  up  the  avenue  you  see  two 
gigantic  walls  of  gray  wood,  solidly  roofed  by  huge  green 
tufts.  It  is  a living  arborescent  gallery,  superior  to  any  ever 
created  by  an  Aladdin’s  lamp.  These  palms  have  an  aver- 
age height  of  eighty  feet,  and  an  average  diameter  at  base  of 
trunk  of  three  feet.  A neatly  graveled  walk  leads  between, 
and  where  the  avenues  intersect  stands  a pretty  fountain. 
As  you  walk  along  the  noble  passage,  you  look  upward  be- 
tween the  giant  trunks  at  the  distant  mountains,  at  the  blue 
sky,  at  the  sea.  Each  produces  a distinct  effect.  You  con- 
trast these  forest  monsters  with  the  pygmy  shrubs  and  flow- 
ers, and  it  seems  as  if  the  palms  belonged  to  some  other 
sphere,  as  if  this  verdant  corridor  led  to  the  mansion  of  the 
gods.  Though  these  royal  palms  are  the  special  boast  of 
the  Botanical  Gardens,  it  should  be  known  that  they  con- 
tain also  what  is  probably  the  finest  collection  of  tropical 
flora  in  the  world,  excepting  only  that  at  Buitenzorg,  near 
Batavia,  in  the  Island  of  Java.  The  climate  agrees  with 
everything  imported,  though  the  enormous  empire  itself  sup- 
plies nearly  every  exhibited  species.  The  picturesque  ar- 
rangement of  the  plants  has  been  effected  with  but  little 


A Profile  of  the  Avenue  of  Royal  Palms. 


PUBLIC  BUILDINGS  AND  GARDENS. 


233 


artificiality,  and  in  a way  more  instructive  and  pleasing  than 
I have  seen  elsewhere.  The  contrasted  plants  alone  add 
great  variety  to  the  scenery.  Sometimes  an  avenue  is  lined 
for  a distance  with  similar  trees,  then  with  others ; next  with 
one  species  on  one  side  and  another  on  the  opposite ; after- 
ward in  clumps,  no  two  alike ; and  finally  in  clumps  all 
alike.  For  the  professional  botanist,  a visit  to  this  ordered 
Eden  would  be  like  a foretaste  of  paradise.  Though  but  a 
very  mild  sort  of  amateur  myself,  yet  during  my  long  stay 
at  Rio  there  was  no  week  in  which  I did  not  at  least  once 
wend  my  way  thither,  and  roam  enraptured  through  the 
miles  of  labyrinthine  verdure. 

Of  the  number  of  interesting  plazas  in  Rio  perhaps  the 
first  would  be  the  Campo  Sant’  Anna,  or  Acclimation  Square, 
on  the  sides  of  which  are  the  Senate,  the  Mint,  the  Rational 
Museum,  the  municipality  building,  and  the  station  of  the 
great  Dom  Pedro  II.  Railway.  The  little  park  is  wholly  arti- 
ficial, the  ground  having  originally  been  quite  level,  but  it 
now  presents  a beautiful  series  of  hills  and  hollows,  lakes 
and  copses,  lawns  and  flower-beds.  In  one  place  is  an  enor- 
mous heap  of  rocks,  over  which  tumbles  a small  waterfall 
into  a pond  filled  with  pretty  gold-fish.  The  interior  has 
been  fashioned  into  a great  cavern,  in  which  you  see  coun- 
terfeit stalagmites  and  stalactites,  water  dripping  into  dark 
pools,  streams  here,  cascades  there,  paths  up,  down,  and 
winding  around,  with  irregular  patches  of  light  and  shadow. 
Clumps  of  plants  have  been  scattered  about  the  exterior,  and 
the  whole  appearance,  both  without  and  within,  is  that  of 
perfect  naturalness.  Trunks  of  trees  bridge  the  ponds,  as  if 
accidentally  fallen  there.  The  whole  arrangement,  which  at 
a short  distance  would  deceive  the  most  acute  observer,  has 
been  constructed  from  stone  and  cement,  under  the  direction 
of  a German  savant.  The  Cascade  Grotto,  as  it  is  called,  is  one 
of  the  particular  sights  of  Rio,  which  a resident  is  sure  to  ask  if 
you  have  seen.  Every  Sunday  afternoon  a large  military  band 
plays  in  the  center  of  this  park,  while  the  ~beau-monde  of  the 
city  promenade  up  and  down  the  smoothly  graveled  walks. 


234  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


On  the  west  coast  of  South  America,  the  Church  is  very- 
powerful  and  influential,  especially  in  Ecuador  and  Peru ; 
but  on  the  east  coast  there  not  only  seem  to  be  comparatively 
few  churches,  but  these  few  are  not  much  attended  even  by 
women.  Certainly  of  all  countries  Brazil  is  the  least  under 
the  control  or  influence  of  the  priesthood.  The  mass  of  the 
people  ignore  them,  while  by  the  more  educated  classes  they 
are  treated  with  contempt,  as  in  Guatemala  and  Mexico.  In 
Rio  I have  frequently  gone  into  half  a dozen  churches  of  a 
morning  and  found  not  a score  of  people  in  all  of  them,  and 
this  at  the  customary  hours  of  worship.  I have  occasionally 
heard  mass  celebrated  before  half  a score  of  people,  and  have 
seen  an  entire  altar  of  priests  going  through  their  service 
with  no  audience  save  a single  bored  verger,  who  at  once 
removed  his  eyes  from  the  ceremony  and  riveted  them  upon 
me  until  my  departure. 

One  day,  at  one  of  the  largest  and  handsomest  churches  of 
the  metropolis — that  of  San  Francisco  de  Paula — I attended 
a grand  requiem  for  the  repose  of  the  soul  of  the  then  re- 
cently deceased  Ferdinand  II.  of  Portugal,  the  brother-in- 
law  of  the  Emperor  of  Brazil.  The  imperial  family,  nobil- 
ity, diplomatic  corps,  senators  and  representatives,  high  offi- 
cers of  the  government  and  of  the  army  and  navy,  were  all 
present  in  court  dress,  with  a profuse  display  of  stars, 
crosses,  medals,  and  ribbons.  The  church  was  draped  in 
deep  mourning,  outside  and  inside,  with  frequent  recurrences 
of  the  royal  cipher  “ F.  II.”  Facing  the  sacred  edifice,  a 
regiment  of  troops,  with  full  band,  was  drawn  up.  Upon 
the  arrival  of  the  various  royalties  in  their  state  carriages,  the 
troops  presented  arms,  and  the  band  played  the  national 
anthem,  while  the  huge  bells  tolled  in  the  massive  towers 
above.  A large  crowd  was  assembled,  but  no  enthusiasm, 
no  cheering,  simply  curiosity,  was  displayed.  For  a solemn 
mass  this  was  undoubtedly  becoming  behavior.  In  the  cen- 
ter of  the  church  had  been  erected  a lofty  catafalque,  covered 
with  crimson  and  gold  velvet,  with  appropriate  badges  of 
mourning,  three  rows  of  great  candles  in  gilt  candlesticks, 


PUBLIC  BUILDINGS  AND  GARDENS. 


235 


and  two  rows  at  either  side  upon  the  floor.  A fine  orchestra 
assisted  impressively  the  gloriously  chanted  mass.  The  arch- 
bishop and  bishops  officiated  in  full  canonicals.  Of  course,  a 
eulogy  was  pronounced  upon  “ F.  II.”  The  ceremonies  had 
a grand  pictorial  and  emotional  effect.  The  simple  black 
dress  of  the  civilians,  the  brilliant  uniforms  and  court  dresses 
of  the  others,  the  rich  brocaded  robes  of  the  priests,  the  som- 
ber ornamentation  of  the  church,  the  drooping  flags  and  ban- 
ners, the  arms  of  Portugal  everywhere  displayed  in  conjunc- 
tion with  those  of  Brazil,  all  blended  together  with  innumer- 
able soft  and  harmonizing  lights,  produced  a scene  that  excited 
the  most  solemn  attention  and  feeling. 

The  wonderfully  picturesque  situation  and  surroundings 
of  Bio,  added  to  the  general  sights  and  scenes  of  its  business 
quarters  and  dwelling  suburbs,  at  first  rather  overshadow  its 
public  edifices — for  so  large  and  wealthy  a city  there  are,  in 
fact,  but  few  remarkably  handsome  large  buildings — but,  on 
the  other  hand  you  soon  learn  that  their  contents  are  valuable 
and  interesting  or  their  purposes  useful  and  civilizing ; char- 
ity, amusement,  information,  instruction,  are  widely  dis- 
pensed. 

One  of  the  most  splendid  hospitals  in  the  world  is  that 
called  the  Misericordia.  It  is  larger  and  better  appointed 
than  the  one  at  Lima,  already  described  in  these  pages, 
though  imposing  rather  from  its  vast  size  than  from  any 
special  architectural  merits.  It  covers  an  area  of  ten  thou- 
sand square  metres,  is  two  stories  in  height,  is  built  of  granite 
and  brick,  and  stands  close  to  the  shore  of  the  harbor,  whence 
refreshing  breezes  blow  through  its  windows  and  wards  to 
the  several  beautiful  gardens  of  the  interior  quadrangles. 
The  total  capacity  of  the  hospital  is  twelve  hundred  pa- 
tients, and  it  receives  from  twelve  thousand  to  fifteen  thou- 
sand a year.  The  general  wards  are  free,  but  the  hos- 
pital provides  special  accommodation  and  privacy  for  those 
willing  to  pay  one  dollar  and  a half  per  day.  The  inter- 
nal supervision  of  the  hospital  is  in  the  hands  of  Sisters  of 
Charity,  each  of  whom  has  charge  of  a certain  work  or  cer- 


236  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


tain  portion  of  a ward.  I obtained  permission  from  the 
Mother  Superior  to  inspect  the  hospital,  and  an  official  guided 
me  continuously  through  all  parts,  from  the  reception-room 
and  the  splendid  saloon  of  the  emperor,  where  business 
meetings  are  held,  to  the  dispensary,  the  instrument-room, 
the  kitchen,  the  chapel,  the  operating-room,  with  an  amphi- 
theatre of  seats  for  attending  medical  students,  the  wards,  the 
dead-house,  and  the  dissecting-vault.  Everywhere  was  the 
most  scrupulous  cleanliness,  everywhere  the  most  perfect 
order  and  discipline.  The  floors  are  of  polished  oiled  wood, 
the  wainscoting  is  of  gay-colored  tiles.  The  building  seems 
all  halls  and  doors  and  windows,  as  of  course  is  necessary  in 
so  warm  a climate.  As  the  patients  lie  in  their  beds,  some 
can  look  out  over  the  bay  and  its  shipping,  with  grand  views 
of  distant  hills,  while  others  have  almost  equally  refreshing 
glimpses  of  the  beautiful  flower-gardens  of  the  inner  court- 
yards. There  are  wards  for  women  and  children,  of  course, 
as  well  as  for  men.  The  dispensary  and  chemical  laboratory 
form  a large  department,  and  as  many  as  five  hundred  people, 
not  in  the  hospital,  are  frequently  in  one  day  supplied  gratis 
with  advice  and  medicine. 

As  I entered  the  different  sections,  a Sister  approached 
and  conducted  me  through  her  special  department,  giving 
me  information  in  the  most  obliging  manner.  Many  of 
these  nuns  were  old,  and  some  were  masculine  and  coarse  in 
appearance,  but  occasionally  I met  one  of  rare  beauty  and 
grace,  who  put  to  me  question  upon  question  about  the  great 
gay  world  from  which  she  was  separated  in  all  but  memory. 
I remember  one  in  particular,  whose  sweetly  soft  black  eyes, 
and  sad,  resigned  air,  called  forth  a feeling  of  mingled  sym- 
pathy and  admiration.  Her  secluded  youth,  beauty,  and  ten- 
derness haunted  me  for  months.  What  baseness,  what 
treachery,  what  terrible  romance  of  love — I knew  it  must 
have  been  love — had  brought  her  there?  I praised  in  no 
unstinted  measure  the  perfect  hospital  and  its  noble  work. 
“ Ah,  monsieur,”  she  said,  “ only  the  great  God  knows  how 
much  good  is  done  here.”  u Yes,  ma  bonne  soeur ,”  I replied, 


PUBLIC  BUILDINGS  AND  GARDENS. 


237 


with  no  flattery,  “and  it  is  due  to  you  and  the  others,  whose 
loving  care,  self-sacrifice,  and  ardor  produce  such  grand 
results.”  If  ever  there  was  a class  of  women  the  world  over 
who  deserve  the  reverence,  I would  almost  say  devotion,  of 
all  men,  it  is  the  sweet  and  merciful  Sisters  of  Charity.  I 
never  pass  one  of  the  “ holy  community  ” without  an  instinct- 
ive impulse  to  raise  my  hat  in  token  of  profound  respect. 

One  afternoon  I visited  the  Academy  of  Fine  Arts,  and 
found  nothing  to  say  in  praise  of  the  building’s  exterior. 
Inside  it  is  admirably  adapted  to  its  purpose,  namely,  the 
giving  of  instruction  in  the  fine  arts  to  youths  of  both  sexes. 
It  contains  a picture  and  sculpture  gallery,  and  many  class- 
rooms for  designing,  drawing,  painting,  engraving,  modeling, 
and  embroidering.  The  prizes  were  to  be  presented  to  the 
yearly  graduates  that  very  evening,  in  an  opera-house  which 
is  just  across  the  street  from  the  Academy,  and  I had  no 
difficulty  in  obtaining  an  invitation.  It  was  announced  that 
the  Emperor,  who  is  a great  patron  of  art — and,  in  fact,  of 
education  of  all  kinds — would  be  present,  and  would  bestow 
the  diplomas  and  medals  upon  the  fortunate  winners.  I was 
glad  to  have  such  an  opportunity  to  see  a representative 
Brazilian  audience,  and  also  to  observe  the  manner  in  which 
such  ceremonies  were  conducted  below  the  equator.  The  per- 
formance was  advertised  to  begin  at  8 p.  m.,  and  I went  early, 
in  order  to  inspect  the  theatre,  which  is  styled  the  Dom  Pedro 
II.  I found  it  to  be  a large  building,  occupying  an  entire 
block,  and  facing  upon  a small  open  plaza.  The  front  was 
brilliantly  illuminated  with  gas-jets,  and  decorated  with  the 
flags  of  all  nations.  Above  all  was  the  monogram  of  the 
theatre,  surmounted  by  the  imperial  crown  in  brightly  flam- 
ing outlines.  In  the  lobby,  down-stairs,  a military  band  of 
seventy-five  mulatto  boys  made  music  which  sounded  admira- 
ble as  it  reverberated  through  the  massive  corridors.  Two 
wide  flights  of  granite  steps  led  up  to  the  parquette  en- 
trances. Above  were  the  portals  to  a balcony  and  two  tiers 
of  boxes.  In  front  was  a commodious  foyer.  The  parquette 
was  large,  seating  over  a thousand,  while  the  remainder  of 


238  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

the  house,  including  “ paradise,”  would  hold  perhaps  four 
thousand.  The  interior  was  gayly  ornamented  in  various 
colors,  and  the  entire  house  was  dressed  with  flags,  mottoes, 
wreaths  of  flowers,  and  ornamented  gas-jets.  Above  the 
entrances  wras  a large  box  set  apart  for  the  princess  royal  and 
family.  To  the  right  of  the  stage  was  the  Emperor’s  box, 
brilliantly  draped  in  crimson  and  blue  velvet,  bordered  and 
studded  with  gold-lace  ornaments.  Above  was  a huge  gilded 
crown.  The  audience  was  already  half  seated  when  I ar- 
rived, and  the  enormous  stage  was  filled  with  the  pupils  of 
the  Academy,  the  boys  dressed  in  plain  black,  the  girls  in 
white,  with  red  sashes.  A pretty  effect  was  produced  by 
arranging  them  in  different  groups.  Next  the  foot-lights 
was  a row  of  tables,  draped  and  flower-dressed,  and  intended 
to  hold  the  diplomas  and  medals.  Behind  these  tables  sat 
the  professors  of  the  institution,  nearly  all  of  them  displaying 
numbers  of  miniature  orders,  and  many  wearing  medals  sus- 
pended by  Crimson  ribbons  from  their  necks..  As  regards 
the  audience,  the  utmost  license  of  dress  prevailed.  Some  of 
the  ladies  were  in  ball-dresses  of  the  lightest,  daintiest  shades, 
and  attended  by  much-decorated  gentlemen  in  “ dress-suits.” 
But  by  far  the  greater  number  of  ladies  wore  dark  clothes 
and  hats,  and  were  escorted  by  gentlemen  in  ordinary  after- 
noon costume.  The  number  of  glittering  orders  and  plainer 
ribbons  and  rosettes  scattered  about  the  house  was  profuse. 
But  perhaps  the  most  noticeable  feature  to  a stranger  was 
the  variety  of  complexion  to  be  seen — ranging  from  the  pale 
white  of  the  foreigner  to  the  delicate  brown  of  the  Portu- 
guese and  the  tan  of  the  Brazilian,  and  gradually  darkening 
through  the  creoles  to  the  mulattoes,  and  finally  to  the  black- 
est black  of  the  negroes.  All  were  mixed  together — both 
out  of  and  in  the  boxes — on  terms  of  the  most  perfect  equal- 
ity. The  blacks  have  crossed  so  much  with  the  Portuguese 
blood,  and  miscegenation  has  gone  so  far,  that  many  years 
ago,  when  it  was  proposed,  in  taking  the  census  of  the  empire, 
to  classify  the  whites  and  blacks,  it  was  found  impossible  to 
determine  the  color  line.  It  took  me  all  the  evening  to  get 


Four  Pretty  Sisters. 


PUBLIC  BUILDINGS  AND  GARDENS. 


239 


accustomed  to  the  novelty  of  the  sight  presented  in  the  Horn 
Pedro  II.  Theatre. 

I asked  a gentleman  to  keep  my  seat,  and  rushed  to  a bal- 
cony of  the  foyer  just  in  time  to  witness  the  arrival  of  the 
Emperor.  Thronged  about  the  theatre,  listening  to  the 
music,  was  a large  crowd,  who  I supposed  would  hail  his 
Majesty’s  arrival  with  wild  huzzas  and  much  waving  of  hats. 
Fancy  my  surprise  when  I heard  not  a single  cheer ! First 
came,  at  a tremendous  pace,  two  brilliantly  uniformed  hus- 
sars, who  cleared  the  way,  then  two  more,  and  then  the  Em- 
peror in  a close  coach  drawn  by  six  gayly  caparisoned  mules, 
the  leaders  ridden  by  postilions,  the  wheelers  driven  by  a 
gorgeously  liveried  coachman  and  attended  by  footmen  be- 
hind. A score  of  hussars,  at  the  side  and  rear  of  the  coach, 
completed  the  escort.  His  Majesty  generally  appears  in  * 
public  attended  by  the  Empress  or  some  ladies  of  the  impe- 
rial family  or  household,  Put  on  this  occasion  he  was  accom- 
panied only  by  his  chamberlain  in  court  uniform,  with  a 
great  silver  and  diamond  star  blazing  upon  his  breast.  The 
Emperor  himself  was  dressed  wholly  in  black,  with  the 
“ grand  crown  ” of  the  Southern  Cross  and  the  button-hole 
decoration  of  the  Golden  Fleece.  He  was  received  by  the 
Council  of  the  Academy,  and  escorted  to  the  imperial  box. 
And  now  a still  greater  surprise  was  in  store  for  me.  Hot 
more  than  twenty  people  in  the  great  audience  rose  as  his 
Majesty  entered  and  approached  the  front  of  his  box,  nor 
was  there  one  loyal  shout  or  applause  of  any  kind.  Haturally 
the  Emperor  did  not  bow  in  recognition  of  such  a cold  recep- 
tion, but  instead  sat  himself  down  and  quietly  surveyed  the 
stage  and  auditorium.  This  was  truly  a democratic  manner 
of  receiving  the  head  of  a great  empire.  Even  a President 
of  a republic  would  have  had  a courteous  recognition  of  some 
sort  or  other.  A little  balcony  had  been  built  in  front  of 
his  Majesty’s  box,  with  stairs  leading  to  the  stage,  up  which 
the  recipients  were  to  go  to  receive  their  diplomas  and 
medals.  At  the  foot  of  the  stairs  were  stationed,  as  a guard 
of  honor,  two  little  boys  in  uniform  and  with  muskets. 


240  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


These  juveniles  were  relieved  at  intervals  of  half  an  hour 
throughout  the  evening,  and  caused  some  merriment  to  the 
audience,  when,  forgetting  their  parts,  they  indulged  in 
little  disputes  directly  before  the  Emperor,  who  himself  had 
to  laugh  on  one  occasion  when  one  of  the  Liliputian  warriors 
refused  to  be  relieved,  doubtless  wishing  to  see  the  whole 
show  from  such  a prominent  position.  The  performance 
began  with  the  orchestra  playing  the  national  anthem,  the 
Emperor  and  the  audience  standing  meanwhile.  As  per- 
formed by  orchestra  this  hymn  is  certainly  not  very  inspirit- 
ing, but  I heard  it  rendered  afterward  by  the  military  band, 
and  found  it  quite  another  composition.  Then  there  was  a 
terribly  long-winded  and  florid  oration  read  by  a young  Por- 
tuguese professor.  It  dealt  with  art  in  general  and  in  par- 
* ticular,  foreign  modern  art,  Brazilian  art,  ancient  art,  and  so 
on,  for  over  an  hour,  as  only  an  orator  of  the  Latin  race  can 
gabble,  until  half  the  audience  were  asleep,  the  other  half 
chatting  and  laughing,  and  the  Emperor  looking  terribly 
bored,  and  doubtless  wishing  he  was  at  home  with  his  well- 
beloved  books.  At  last  the  young  man  stopped,  and  there 
was  great  applause  from  those  awake  because  he  had  con- 
cluded, but  the  fellow  vainly  bowed  as  if  it  were  intended  as 
a compliment.  However,  the  noise  woke  up  the  sleepers, 
and  the  programme  proceeded  with  the  distribution  of  diplo- 
mas and  medals.  This  also  was  drawn  out  in  a ridiculous 
fashion  and  to  a wearisome  extent.  Two  little  children,  one 
dressed  as  a sprite,  the  other  as  a Neapolitan  boy,  carried, 
upon  silver  trays,  the  diplomas  and  medals,  one  by  one,  up 
to  the  Emperor,  while  the  names  were  called  off  in  succes- 
sion by  one  of  the  professors,  and  the  recipients  had  to  make 
their  way  from  all  parts  of  the  great  stage,  hoping  to  arrive 
simultaneously  with  their  prizes.  About  fifty  were  thus 
tediously  bestowed  on  the  boys  and  then  upon  a like  num- 
ber of  girls,  an  hour  being  spent  in  doing  what  might  have 
been  much  better  done  in  five  minutes.  After  the  young 
men  received  their  testimonials,  the  orchestra  played  the  sad- 
dest, slowest,  and  faintest  symphony  I ever  heard  at  any 


PUBLIC  BUILDINGS  AND  GARDENS. 


241 


celebration.  It  sounded  like  a dirge  ovOr  the  death  of  art. 
The  audience  had  stood  enough  already,  and  at  this  began  to 
dribble  out.  The  only  clever  thing  of  the  evening  was  the 
recitation  of  a short  original  poem  by  a well-known  local 
poet.  This  was  delivered,  singularly  enough,  from  one  of 
the  boxes,  but  not  from  a central  proscenium-box,  as  should 
have  been  the  case.  In  graceful  terms  he  complimented  the 
founder  of  the  Academy,  and  thanked  the  Council  for  their 
work.  Several  gold  medals  were  then  conferred  on  those 
professors  who,  during  two  consecutive  years,  had  committed 
no  more  than  five  breaches  of  the  rules  of  the  Academy.  It 
looked  almost  as  if  the  supply  of  medals  was  excessive,  and 
they  were  trying  to  nnload  stock.  At  this  stage  the  poor 
bored  Emperor  took  himself  off,  bowing  several  times  to  the 
audience,  which  this  time  at  least  was  civil  enough  to  rise. 
As  his  Majesty  was  driven  away,  the  military  band  in  the 
lobby  gave  the  national  hymn  in  grand  style.  Most  of  the 
audience  now  left,  though  a concert  of  half  a dozen  selec- 
tions was  still  to  be  given  by  pupils  of  the  Academy.  So 
cold  an  audience,  from  beginning  to  end,  I never  saw,  but 
afterward,  at  comic  operas,  1 found  the  citizens  only  too  lav- 
ish with  enthusiasm  and  applause. 


1G 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 


ENVIRONS  OF  RIO. 

Among  the  most  noteworthy  of  the  city’s  public  institu- 
tions is  unquestionably  the  National  Library.  It  is  located 
in  a plain  three-story  building,  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
city,  opposite  the  pretty  little  park  called  the  Passeio  Publi- 
co. The  collection  of  books  is  very  rich,  and  numbers  about 
a hundred  and  fifty  thousand,  in  all  languages,  and  mostly  in 
costly  leather  bindings.  There  are  many  cases  of  rare  manu- 
scripts and  literary  curiosities.  The  old  Jesuitical  manu- 
scripts are  regarded  as  of  especial  value,  as  well  as  those  de- 
voted to  the  early  history  of  Brazil.  The  collection  of  the 
earliest-printed  books  is  large  and  valuable,  as  is  also  that 
relating  to  the  early  history  of  Portugal  and  Spain  and  their 
American  colonies.  A splendid  collection  of  rare  engravings, 
one  of  Brazilian  coins  and  medals,  and  many  cases  of  foreign 
coins  invite  attention.  Two  large  cabinets  are  exclusively 
devoted  to  valuable  editions  of  the  “ Lusiad,”  by  the  Portu- 
guese poet  Camoens.  There  are,  besides,  many  paintings 
and  marble  busts,  and  among  the  latter  one  of  Camoens,  with 
his  sightless  eye  only  too  graphically  represented.  This  li- 
brary is  open  every  day,  and  free  to  all,  but  for  consultation 
only.  Its  reading-room  is  provided  with  the  electric  light, 
an  unwise  innovation. 

But  to  myself  perhaps  the  most  interesting  of  all  the 
public  institutions  of  Rio  was  the  National  Museum,  a plain 
though  large  two-story  building,  facing  the  park  of  Sant’ 
Anna,  in  a central  part  of  the  city.  The  collection  of  the 
museum  is  good  and  very  comprehensive,  the  three  kingdoms 


ENVIRONS  OF  RIO. 


243 


of  Nature  being  well  represented.  The  original  purpose  was 
the  creation  of  a museum  of  natural  history,  but  the  institu- 
tion was  soon  made  a receptacle  for  all  kinds  of  curios  and 
objects  of  scientific  and  technical  interest.  From  time  to 
time  it  has  been  enriched  with  collections  made  by  foreign 
naturalists  traveling  in  Brazil,  and  by  valuable  contributions 
from  native  savants.  To  some,  its  most  interesting  and 
noticeable  feature  is  its  ethnographical  and  archaeological  de- 
partment. The  civilized  and  uncivilized  Indians  of  Brazil 
may  be  studied  by  means  of  paintings,  photographs,  and  a 
varied  collection  of  their  war,  chase,  and  domestic  utensils, 
implements,  and  manufactures.  The  reminiscences  of  the 
prehistoric  tribes  of  Peru  and  Bolivia,  as  well  as  of  Egypt 
and  Syria,  are  interesting.  Time  should  be  given  to  a fine 
collection  of  pottery  from  the  Island  of  Marajo  and  the 
lower  Amazon,  in  which  the  evolution  of  ornamental  de- 
signs has  been  carefully  studied  and  abundantly  proved  by 
Prof.  Orville  A.  Derby,  an  eminent  American  scientist,  now 
for  a number  of  years  at  the  head  of  one  of  the  great  sections 
into  which  the  museum  is  divided — that  of  mineralogy,  geol- 
ogy, and  paleontology.  I spent  a good  deal  of  time  at  this 
museum,  becoming  well  acquainted  with  the  director,  a Bra- 
zilian gentleman,  Dr.  Ladislau  Netto,  who  has  made  some 
very  valuable  and  interesting  studies  upon  Brazilian  archae- 
ology. He  kindly  presented  me  with  some  of  the  huge  vol- 
umes published  by  the  museum,  and  profusely  illustrated  by 
excellent  engravings  and  colored  lithographs,  all  made  in  Bio 
Janeiro.  In  one  of  these  splendid  volumes  I noticed  a con- 
tribution upon  the  “Ethnology  of  the  Yalley  of  the  Ama- 
zons,” by  my  lamented  friend  the  late  Prof.  C.  F.  Hartt, 
who  was  chief  of  the  Geological  and  Geographical  Survey  of 
Brazil,  and  in  whose  untimely  death,  some  years  ago,  Science 
lost  one  of  her  most  learned  and  most  earnest  devotees.  The 
present  head  of  this  important  survey  is  Prof.  Derby,  who 
went  out  to  Brazil  originally  as  one  of  Prof.  Hartt’s  assist- 
ants. A fine  library  of  natural  history  occupies  a number  of 
rooms  of  the  museum  building,  and  there  is  a large  hall 


244  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

which  is  used  for  the  delivery  of  lectures.  The  museum  has 
a list  of  active  members,  and  elects  as  foreign  associates  those 
who  have  specially  distinguished  themselves  in  explorations 
or  studies  of  a natural  history  character. 

The  Astronomical  Observatory,  gver  which  I was  polite- 
ly shown  by  the  director,  is  situated  on  Castle  Hill,  over- 
looking the  bay  and  about  the  center  of  the  shore-line  of  the 
city.  Most  of  the  offices  and  rooms  of  the  observatory  are 
reared  upon  the  massive  walls  and  columns  of  an  old  Jesuit 
convent,  which  furnishes  admirable  bases  for  the  proper  ad- 
justment of  delicate  scientific  instruments.  I climb  the  hill 
by  a winding,  paved  road,  and  enter  the  court-yard  through  a 
quaint  old  gateway.  Here  are  the  laboratory  and  the  photo- 
graphic rooms.  The  laboratory,  besides  a good  outfit  of  ne- 
cessary chemicals  and  instruments,  has  a small  but  valuable 
collection  of  minerals.  Here  also  is  a large  room  filled  with 
astronomical  and  other  scientific  machines,  of  every  size  and 
character,  mostly  of  French  manufacture.  Among  them  I 
noticed  some  splendid  spectroscopes.  Several  of  the  larger 
of  the  astronomical  instruments  would  be  mounted,  had  the 
director  the  necessary  room.  Ascending  several  long  flights 
of  stairs,  and  finally  a circular  staircase  in  a tower,  we  reach 
the  roof  of  the  old  convent,  upon  which  stand  the  great  iron 
dome  with  its  nine-inch  refractor,  a room  for  transit  instru- 
ments, the  library,  the  director’s  and  the  secretary’s  offices, 
and  a lofty  iron  tower,  where  the  electric  apparatus,  wind- 
vanes,  gauges,  etc.,  are  mounted.  From  the  open  platform 
an  extensive  view*  may  be  enjoyed  of  the  bay  and  mountains, 
the  ocean  through  the  entrance  to  the  harbor,  and  the  city 
lying  around  and  below.  A sea-breeze  almost  continually 
freshens  this  place.  The  director  showed  me  the  photograph 
of  a flash  of  lightning  that  he  had  recently  taken.  In  his 
office  were  many  American  works  on  astronomy.  The  libra- 
ry was  small,  but  contained  some  very  valuable  books,  mostly 
in  rich  leather  bindings.  The  observatory  has  published  two 
large  volumes,  descriptive  of  its  buildings,  its  outfit,  and 
some  of  its  most  important  work.  These  volumes  are  illus- 


ENVIRONS  OF  RIO. 


245 


trated  by  very  fine  colored  lithographs,  made  in  Rio.  The 
observatory  also  publishes  infrequently  monographs  on  spe- 
cial researches.  It  is,  besides,  charged  with  the  duties  of 
announcing  meridian  time  every  day,  regulating  the  chro- 
nometers of  the  Marine  and  War  Departments,  and  publish- 
ing daily  meteorological  observations.  Work  has  been  be- 
gun on  a chart  of  the  heavens,  from  which  valuable  observa- 
tions are  expected. 

In  Rio  a great  number  of  associations  promote  the  prog- 
ress of  science,  arts,  and  letters.  Among  these,  the  first 
place  belongs  to  the  “ Historical,  Geographical,  and  Ethno- 
graphical Institute  of  Brazil.”  This  was  founded  half  a cent- 
ury ago,  with  the  view  of  studying  the  national  history,  and 
collecting,  analyzing,  and  publishing  documents  of  historical 
value.  I visited  the  offices  and  rooms,  which  are  large  and 
airy,  with  tables  for  members.  The  library  contains  some 
seven  thousand  volumes,  and  a large  and  valuable  collection 
of  manuscripts  and  maps  relating  to  the  history  of  Brazil. 
Two  other  rooms  are  filled  with  the  publications  of  the  In- 
stitute and  files  of  its  exchanges.  The  Institute  holds  fort- 
nightly meetings,  which  are  generally  presided  over  by  the 
Emperor.  It  publishes  a review,  which  annually  forms  a 
volume  of  one  thousand  pages. 

The  highest  peak  back  of  Rio,  to  the  westward,  is  called 
Tijuea.  In  company  with  Prof.  Derby,  of  the  “ Museu  Ha- 
cional,”  and  Mr.  A.  J.  Lamoureux,  the  able  editor  of  the 
“Rio  Hews,”  I one  day  made  a trip  to  it,  and  returned  by 
way  of  the  Gavea,  toward  the  ocean  and  the  Botanical  Gar- 
dens. Our  first  objective  point,  however,  was  Whyte’s  Hotel, 
a sort  of  sanitarium  situated  high  up  among  the  hills,  like  the 
hotel  on  the  Corcovado,  and  much  patronized  in  the  hot 
season  by  the  debilitated  foreigners  of  Rio.  We  first  took  a 
tram-car  through  the  suburbs,  a distance  of  about  six  miles, 
passing  along  a canal  which  had  been  originally  built  with 
the  intention  of  thus  floating  ships  from  the  bay  around  into 
the  heart  of  the  city,  but  the  scheme  did  not  prove  success- 
ful, and  the  canal  is  now  little  better  than  a dirty,  stagnant 


246  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


sewer,  both  unhealthy  and  an  eye-sore.  Then  came  a very 
pleasant  change — a broad,  paved  street,  lined  with  handsome 
country-houses  ensconced  in  beautiful  gardens  of  every  spe- 
cies of  tropical  vegetation.  During  the  latter  part  of  this 
section,  the  road  became  so  steep  that  we  took  on  another 
team  of  mules ; and  afterward,  leaving  the  tram,  we  wTere 
transferred  to  large  stages  drawn  by  four  stout  mules,  and 
thus  started  up  a narrow  valley,  the  road  zigzagging  in  such 
an  extraordinary  fashion  that  it  seemed  much  of  the  time  as 
if  we  had  turned  back.  This  part  led  through  a beautiful 
forest,  and  we  were  able  to  obtain  occasional  glimpses  of  Rio 
and  the  delightful  bay  behind  and  below  us.  Whyte’s  Hotel 
— a series  of  long,  narrow,  low  houses,  nestling  at  the  bottom 
of  a little  valley  surrounded  on  every  side  by  woody  hills — 
was  reached  in  two  hours  from  Rio,  a distance  of  some  ten 
or  twelve  miles.  This  famous  old  hostelry,  which  formerly 
was  so  exclusive  that  travelers  were  admitted  only  through 
letters  of  introduction,  does  not,  as  might  be  imagined,  com- 
mand a view  of  Rio  and  the  bay,  or  even  of  the  ocean,  or,  in 
fact,  of  anything  especial.  It  is  situated  in  a deep  hollow, 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  pass  from  the  capital,  and  about 
twenty  minutes’  vralk  from  the  ocean.  It  is  an  ordinary 
country  hotel,  though  with  excessively  high  charges  in  every 
department.  Perhaps  the  most  enjoyable  thing  about  the 
place  is  a great  swimming-bath.  A short  distance  in  the 
woods  a rapid  stream  runs  through  a cemented  tank,  about 
fifty  feet  square  and  five  feet  deep.  The  water  is  deliciously 
cool  and  refreshing.  It  flows  from  the  tank  in  a pretty 
waterfall,  which  is  also  useful  as  a douche. 

From  the  hotel  the  ascent  of  the  peak  of  Tijuca  may  be 
made  in  about  two  hours.  You  go  on  mule-back  or  horse- 
back to  within  about  two  hundred  feet  of  the  summit.  Excel- 
lent roads  for  either  riding,  driving,  or  walking,  wind  about 
the  hills  in  every  direction.  The  country  hereabout  is  a sort 
of  government  park,  and  besides  the  capital  graveled  roads, 
which  have  been  flanked  with  beautiful  plants,  shrubs,  and 
flowers,  there  are  waterfalls,  grottoes,  ponds,  flower-gardens, 


ENVIRONS  OF  RIO. 


247 


and  labyrinths.  More  than  half  the  distance  to  the  summit 
of  the  peak  can  be  accomplished  by  carriage.  The  roads 
all  pass  through  dense  forests,  so  that  one  has  constant  shel- 
ter from  the  powerful  sun.  The  side  on  which  the  bridle- 
path approaches  Tijuea,  shows  it  to  consist  of  an  enormous 
vertical  wall  of  smooth  rock.  You  pass  this,  however,  and 
then  wind  on  and  up  to  a spot  where  there  is  a rocky  preci- 
pice, at  the  foot  of  which  you  stand.  Here  the  horse  or 
mule  must  be  left,  and  the  remainder  of  the  ascent  made  by 
means  of  wooden  stairs  and  steps  cut  in  the  face  of  the  bare 
rock.  This  part  of  the  way  is  guarded  by  two  huge  iron 
chains.  Arrived  at  the  summit — three  thousand  three  hun- 
dred and  sixty  feet  above  the  sea — the  view  is  remarkably 
fine,  but  it  is  a view  of  peaks  and  valleys  and  the  ocean. 
You  are  able  to  see  but  a small  part  of  the  city  of  Rio.  In 
the  afternoon  we  took  horses  and  rode  around  by  the  way  of 
the  great,  table-topped  peak — the  Gavea — to  the  Botanical 
Gardens,  and  so  back  to  the  capital.  This  route  gave  us  a 
fine  look  at  the  Gavea,  with  its  perpendicular  walls  of  smooth 
rock.  Though  apparently  altogether  unscalable,  it  has  sev- 
eral times  been  ascended.  At  the  summit  of  the  pass,  be- 
tween the  Gavea  and  the  Corcovado,  we  found  an  opening  in 
the  trees  and  a pavilion  whence  we  obtained  a superb  pros- 
pect over  ocean  and  bay,  and  the  suburb  of  Botafogo.  This 
is  styled  the  “ Chinese  View,”  as  the  road  from  here  down  to 
the  level  of  the  Botanical  Gardens  has  been  built  by  Chinese 
laborers.  It  is  a capital  road,  broad  and  with  a very  slight 
incline  It  runs  through  a magnificent  bit  of  primitive  forest, 
and  affords  many  charming  little  visions  of  land  and  sea.  We 
passed  one  of  the  great  city  reservoirs,  skirted  the  rear  of  the 
Botanical  Gardens,  taking  a glance  at  the  splendid  avenue  of 
royal  palms,  examined  the  large  new  cotton-factory,  peered 
up  at  Corcovado,  twenty-three  hundred  feet  above  us,  and 
finally  reached  the  tram  line,  which  soon  deposited  us  once 
more  at  our  homes,  after  an  absence  of  but  twenty-four 
hours. 

Of  all  the  mountain  resorts  in  the  neighborhood  of  Rio, 


24 8 ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

Petropolis  is  tlie  best  patronized  and  the  most  famous.  It  is, 
in  fact,  the  summer  capital ; for  the  Emperor  and  his  house- 
hold, the  diplomatic  corps,  and  the  native  aristocracy,  go 
there  to  escape  heat  and  fever  risks.  The  wealthy  Bio 
merchants  also  keep  their  families  there,  either  in  private 
cottages  or  hotels  during  the  hot  season,  they  themselves 
going  in  and  out  of  town  every  day.  A long,  narrow,  single- 
decked, paddle-wheel  steamboat  carried  me  in  a northern 
direction  across  the  beautiful  Bay  of  Bio.  In  the  front  part 
of  this  steamer  was  a double  row  of  seats,  separated  by  a 
central  aisle,  as  in  the  American  railway-carriages.  In  the 
stern  was  a good  restaurant,  and  space  for  the  second-class 
passengers.  Leaving  the  city,  the  scenery  of  the  bay  was  in- 
describably charming.  The  line  of  hills  containing  the 
Corcovado,  Gavea,  and  Tijuca,  shrouded  in  mist,  rose,  inky 
black,  against  a clear  blue  sky.  The  vari-colored  houses  of 
the  city,  quaint  of  architecture,  interspersed  by  a score  of 
knolls,  glowed  in  the  dazzling  sunshine  and  presented  an 
entirely  new  picture  at  every  mile  we  added  to  our  course. 
The  bright-green  waters  of  the  bay,  dancing  before  a fresh 
southerly  breeze,  were  covered  with  an  enormous  fleet  of 
steamers  and  merchant-ships.  Lighters  and  other  boats  were 
busy  carrying  freight  and  passengers  to  and  from  the  wharves. 
We  skirted  the  eastern  shore  of  the  great  Governor’s  Island 
— a much  larger  island  than  its  New  York  namesake,  and 
very  different  in  appearance.  It  is  undulating  and  wooded, 
with  many  pretty  little  bays  and  villages,  and  scattered  fac- 
tories and  dwelling-houses.  To  our  right  were  numerous 
small  islands,  mostly  uninhabited,  and  with  their  tall  palms 
and  other  trees  all  bent  in  one  direction,  thus  plainly  indicat- 
ing the  course  of  the  most  prevalent  wind.  There  seemed 
everywhere  a great  depth  of  water,  as  we  frequently  passed 
within  fifty  feet  of  an  island.  The  Organ  Mountains,  extend- 
ing along  the  northern  side  of  the  bay,  were  veiled  in  mist,  and 
we  could  see  only  the  lower  and  nearer  hills,  covered  with  a rich 
vegetation,  and  several  of  them  crowned  by  a church,  a con- 
vent, or  a farm-house.  Leaving  Governor’s  Island,  we  headed 


The  Map  of  Brazil  and  the  Chart  of  the  Bay  of  Rio  Janeiro  ( a Curious  Resemblance). 


ENVIRONS  OF  RIO . 


249 


directly  north  to  the  station  of  the  • railway,  called  Maua,  in 
honor  of  the  viscount  of  like  name,  who  has  in  many  ways 
greatly  helped  the  material  progress  of  Brazil.  Maua  is 
twelve  miles  from  Bio,  and  is  simply  a landing-place  for  the 
steamer,  with  the  buildings  of  the  railway  service.  A train 
of  four  cars  awaited  us.  The  cars  were  fitted  with  trans- 
verse benches  made  of  ^traw,  a side  door  admitting  to  each 
bench.  The  locomotives  used  are  made  in  Philadelphia,  the 
cars  are  of  English  make.  The  steamer  passengers  filled  the 
train.  They  appeared  to  be  mostly  business  men,  though 
there  were  also  some  ladies  and  children.  We  were  quickly 
whisked  eleven  miles  across  a forest-clad  plain,  to  the  foot  of 
the  mountains,  where  our  train  was  divided  into  two,  run  on 
the  Biggenbach  system.  The  road  appears  to  mount  directly 
upward  through  a sort  of  valley  in  the  ridge,  with  very  little 
turning,  and  with  no  specially  steep  slopes.  The  speed  is 
greater  than  that  upon  any  similar  road  I know  of ; it  is  at 
least  double  that  of  the  Corcovado  Bailway.  One  high  iron 
bridge  is  crossed,  but  no  great  engineering  obstacles  present 
themselves.  As  we  ascend,  we  occasionally  obtain  magnifi- 
cent views  of  the  plain  behind  us,  and  of  fine  rocky  peaks 
and  cliffs  before  us.  Hot,  however,  until  we  near  the  summit 
of  the  pass — called  Baiz  do  Serra  (Boot  of  the  Bidge) — does 
the  wonderful  splendor  of  the  prospect  become  apparent. 
Then  one  can  look  down  upon  the  brown  track  of  the  road, 
by  which  we  have  just  mounted,  as  it  runs  through  the  dense 
green  forests.  We  distinctly  see  the  station  at  the  foot  of 
the  ridge,  and  then  the  road  crossing  the  plain  to  the  bay ; 
and,  carrying  our  eyes  out  over  this,  we  notice  first  Governor’s 
Island,  and  then  far  beyond  we  detect  the  Sugar-Loaf,  Corco- 
vado, Gavea,  and  Tijuca.  Bio  can  be  recognized  only  on  a 
particularly  clear  day.  As  we  continue,  the  atmosphere  be- 
comes pure  and  cool.  Before  the  rack-road  was  built,  it  was 
customary  to  ascend  the  ridge  by  a capital  macadamized  road 
— a wonderful  piece  of  engineering — of  which  you  frequently 
catch  glimpses  in  the  ascent.  A light  coach,  with  powerful 
brakes  and  six  mules,  was  used.  At  the  summit  of  the  serra 


r 


250  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


— the  cog-rail  section  is  four  miles  long — the  divided  train  is 
reunited,  and  a Philadelphia  locomotive  takes  us  quickly  over 
the  remaining  two  miles  to  the  station  of  Petropolis  and  the 
end  of  our  journey. 

Our  whole  time  from  Pio  was  but  two  hours.  At  the 
station  a great  crowd  had  collected,  a few  to  receive  expected 
friends,  but  most  merely  to  gratify  an  idle  curiosity.  Tout- 
ers  for  half  a dozen  hotels  race  up  and  down  the  platform, 
and  omnibus  and  hack  drivers  shout  at  you  over  the  low 
paling..  One  hears  a different  language  on  every  side.  It  is 
like  some  famous  Swiss  resort.  And  this  comparison  is 
strengthened  when  you  enter  an  omnibus  and  are  driven  up 
long  avenues  of  shops  and  cottages,  with  small  walled-in 
rivers  flowing  through  the  streets  and  wooded  hills,  and  rocky 
peaks  towering  upward  on  every  side.  I am  put  down  at 
one  of  the  largest  and  best  of  the  hotels  of  the  place,  the 
“ Orleans,”  which  stands  on  the  western  side  of  the  town.  It 
is  set  directly  against  the  side  of  a hill  which  has  been  sliced 
down  better  to  accommodate  it,  and  bears  in  plaster  letters, 
six  feet  long,  its  aristocratic  name.  From  its  piazzas  may  be 
had  picturesque  views  of  a part  of  the  town  and  the  hills 
beyond,  the  higher  of  which,  being  seemingly  of  rock,  glow 
with  a beautiful  purple  in  the  fading  sunsets.  At  the  time 
of  my  visit  this  hotel  was  full  of  fashionable  Pio  people. 
Four  or  five  foreign  ministers,  with  their  families,  secretaries, 
and  attaches,  also  make  it  their  summer  home.  The  days  are 
passed  in  walks,  drives,  picnics,  lounging,  and  flirting;  the 
nights  with  music,  dancing,  and  conversation  upon  the  cool 
piazzas — as  at  other  fashionable  resorts  the  world  over. 

The  situation  of  Petropolis,  among  a cluster  of  knolls,  is 
romantic  and  beautiful.  It  is  about  twenty-seven  hundred 
feet  above  sea-level,  and,  though  it  is  warm  during  the 
middle  of  the  day,  the  nights  are  generally  cool,  and  the 
air  is  always  pure  and  wholesome.  The  streets  are  broad, 
and  lined  with  trees.  The  houses  are  gayly  painted 
and  ornamented,  and  their  grounds  are  a blaze  of  brilliaiit 
flowers.  Then  there  are  many  beautiful  drives  and  walks 


ENVIRONS  OF  RIO. 


251 


to  the  neighboring  peaks.  The  population  numbers  about 
ten  thousand,  among  whom  are  many  Germans ; and,  in  fact, 
Petropolis  has  much  more  the  appearance  of  an  old  German 
town  than  of  a Brazilian.  The  reason  given  for  this  is  that 
some  forty  or  fifty  years  ago  a colony  of  about  three  thou- 
sand Germans  located  on  this  spot. 

The  finest  mountain  scenery,  the  best  climate,  and  prob- 
ably the  most  various  and  interesting  vegetation  are  found 
in  Theresopolis,  a mountain  valley  about  fifty  miles  in  a 
northeasterly  direction  from  Bio.  There  it  is  higher,  drier, 
and  cooler  than  in  Petropolis.  The  sharp  peaks  of  the  Or- 
gan Mountains  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  former  are  among 
the  first  and  greatest  objects  of  interest  to  every  stranger. 
Theresopolis  is  frequently  called  the  “ Switzerland  of  Bra- 
zil,” and  the  grandeur  and  beauty  of  its  mountain  scenery 
certainly  give  it  some  claim  to  such  an  appellation.  At  one 
time  it  promised  to  be  the  summer  capital,  for  it  was  the  re- 
sort of  diplomatists,  distinguished  strangers,  and  wealthy  Bra- 
zilians long  before  Petropolis  was  created.  The  journey 
there  is  of  some  difficulty,  though  no  fatigue.  Three  times  a 
week  a little  steamer  leaves  Bio,  on  which  you  may  cross  to 
the  upper  end  of  the  bay,  to  a little  village  called  Piedade, 
whence  a diligence  runs  across  the  country  to  the  foot  of  the 
mountains  in  about  four  hours.  Here  it  is  customary  to  pass 
the  night,  and  early  in  the  morning  ascend  the  serra  on  mule- 
back.  Almost  at  the  summit  the  trail  passes  near  the  “ Fin- 
ger of  God,”  whose  sharp,  inaccessible  peaks  are  conspicuous 
from  the  city.  You  pass  through  a gap  in  the  mountains 
into  the  little  valley,  in  which,  at  a height  of  three  thousand 
feet,  Theresopolis  is  situated.  It  is  only  a straggling  settle- 
ment, and  has  no  first-class  hotels  at  present,  but  it  has  a cli- 
mate that  can  not  be  excelled  ; picturesque  walks  and  rides  in 
every  direction ; elevated  valleys  where  the  ounce  and  tapir 
are  still  to  be  found ; and  scenery  which  for  sublimity  and 
beauty  probably  has  no  rival  in  Brazil. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


THE  EMPEROR  OF  BRAZIL. 

One  day  I was  driven  in  a tilbnry  about  five  miles  north- 
west of  the  city  proper,  to  the  Emperor’s  palace  of  San 
Cristoval.  It  is  situated  within  extensive  grounds  of  much 
natural  beauty,  which  have  been  laid  out  with  good  taste  in 
winding  avenues,  lawns,  artificial  ponds,  grottoes,  fountains, 
and  ornamental  thickets.  The  site  is  a commanding  one, 
and  is  well  suited  for  an  imperial  residence.  You  pass  two 
grand  entrance-gates,  and  follow  a very  wide  avenue  direct- 
ly to  the  palace,  a building  of  brick  and  stucco,  three  stories 
in  height.  Guards  were  stationed  about,  but  the  greater 
part  of  the  edifice  appeared  closed,  notwithstanding  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Emperor.  His  Majesty  had  held  a reception  the 
previous  day  at  Petropolis,  and  this  day,  at  six  in  the  even- 
ing, he  was  to  receive  in  Pio.  I was  honored  with  a private 
interview  in  the  morning,  being  first  ushered  into  a large 
waiting-room,  and  then  into  the  chamberlain’s  office,  a 
smaller  apartment  of  similar  character.  His  Majesty  after- 
ward met  me  upon  an  inner  corridor  of  the  palace,  attended 
but  by  a single  aide-de-camp,  who,  however,  immediately 
disappeared.  The  chamberlain  mentioned  my  name  and 
nationality,  and  his  Majesty  advancing  shook  hands  cor- 
dially, asking  me  (in  well-accented  English)  when  I had  left 
New  York.  The  chamberlain,  at  a nod,  left  me  alone  with 
the  Emperor.  Dom  Pedro  II.  is  of  a very  striking  figure — tall, 
broad-shouldered,  erect,  with  a large,  intellectual  head,  gray 
hair,  and  a flowing  gray  beard.  He  has  grayish-blue  eyes, 
which,  though  keen,  are  yet  kindly  in  their  steady  gaze. 


The  Palace  of  San  Cristoval. 


TEE  EMPEROR  OF  BRAZIL . 


2o3 


His  complexion  is  florid,  his  expression  sober  and  dignified. 
He  was  simply  clad  in  a black  broadcloth  “ dress-suit,”  and 
wore  on  his  breast  the  beautiful  star  of  the  Imperial  Order  of 
the  Southern  Cross,  and  in  a button-hole  the  diamond  and 
gold  badge  of  that  grand  old  historic  order,  the  Golden 
Fleece  of  Austria  and  Spain.  His  Majesty  always  wears 
these  decorations,  but  rarely  any  others,  nor  is  he  often  seen 
in  uniform  or  gala  dress  of  any  kind.  He  is  very  amiable, 
and  altogether  simple  and  democratic  in  his  manners  and 
tastes.  At  Bio  he  is  generally  seen  in  a carriage  drawn  by  six 
mules,  but  at  Petropolis  he  goes  about  on  foot,  attended  by 
his  chamberlain  only.  He  gives  no  balls  or  dinners,  but  is 
always  accessible  to  the  public  once  a week,  generally'  on 
Saturday  evenings.  He  is  especially  noted  for  his  tact,  en- 
ergy, and  humanity.  He  is,  therefore,  very  popular,  and 
much  loved  by  all  his  subjects.  He  did  me  the  honor  of 
talking  with  me  half  an  hour,  chiefly  about  my  proposed 
travels  in  Brazil,  though  he  spoke  also  of  being  much  pleased 
with  his  visit  to  the  United  States  a few  years  ago,  of  his 
friendly  reception  by  the  press  and  public,  and  of  the  cordial 
hospitality  of  General  Grant.  At  parting  he  shook  hands 
with  me  in  the  most  gracious  manner,  and  invited  me  to  visit 
him  at  his  summer  palace  in  Petropolis,  where  he  was  going 
the  following  day,  and  where  I had  the  further  honor  of  an 
interview  a little  later  on.  I did  not  have  an  opportunity 
to  inspect  any  of  the  apartments  of  the  San  Cristoval  Palace, 
but  was  told  that,  although  generally  quite  plain,  the  rooms 
were  fitted  with  French  furniture,  and  opened  upon  court- 
yards filled  with  beautiful  flowers. 

The  Emperor  speaks  all  European  languages  fluently,  and 
his  devotion  to  science  and  art  is  well  known.  He  has,  be- 
sides, high  scientific  attainments,  and  is  a member  of  many 
learned  societies  in  France  and  England.  And  I recall  with 
especial  pride  that,  on  the  occasion  of  his  visit  to  the  United 
States  during  our  centennial  celebration,  he  accepted  “ honor- 
ary membership’’  in  the  American  Geographical  Society, 
and  at  a special  meeting  in  Chickering  Hall  made  a little  ad- 


254  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


dress  which  shows  so  fine  a command  of  English  that  I give 
it  entire : 

“Although  sincere  gratitude’s  voice  is  always  silent,  I 
will  not  hesitate  to  utter  my  thoughts  to  the  American  Geo- 
graphical Society  for  the  honor  it  confers  on  me  in  the  pres- 
ence of  men  so  prominent  in  geographical  science,  and  such 
indefatigable  explorers  of  regions,  where  man,  rivaling  as  it 
were  with  Nature,  feels  that  labor  is  his  greatest  glory  and 
most  solid  base  of  happiness.  On  so  solemn  an  occasion, 
however,  it  is  my  duty  to  express  how,  in  my  country,  we 
prize  geographical  studies,  which  bring  to  light  its  elements 
of  wealth,  and  secure  for  it — I speak  as  a Brazilian,  but  with- 
out partiality — a brilliant  future,  and  also  make  it  useful  to 
all  nations,  with  which  Brazil  has  always  endeavored  to  main- 
tain a cordial  friendship.  I trust  the  American  Geographi- 
cal Society  will  allow  me  to  express  here  a feeling  adieu  to 
all  the  people  of  the  United  States,  who  welcomed  me  with 
so  much  kindness,  and  to  explain  to  them  at  the  same  time 
how  sorry  I am  that  a motive,  doubly  regrettable,  has  not 
permitted  my  remaining  longer  among  them,  to  see  and  ex- 
amine as  much  as  I desired,  notwithstanding  the  means 
employed  by  this  great  nation  to  overwhelm  time.” 

When,  on  the  day  appointed,  I made  my  exit  from  the 
door  of  the  railway-station  at  Petropolis,  there  stood  upon  the 
sidewalk,  with  but  a single  attendant,  the  most  democratic  of 
all  sovereigns,  the  Emperor  of  Brazil,  apparently  out  for  a 
stroll,  and  stopping  at  the  station  to  see  the  new  arrivals,  and 
nodding  to  acquaintances  right  and  left  in  the  most  conde- 
scending manner.  The  imperial  palace  at  Petropolis  is  a 
large,  two-story  building,  with  long,  single-story  wings,  the 
whole  made  of  brick  and  stucco,  painted  yellow  and  white, 
and  of  a style  of  architecture  which  recalls  a Florentine 
villa.  The  interior  is  plain  but  commodious.  The  palace  is 
surrounded  by  pretty  gardens,  walks,  fountains,  and  pavilions. 
Not  very  far  from  here  is  the  residence  of  the  princess  royal, 
not  a very  imposing  house,  but  thickly  encircled  by  masses 
of  ever-blooming  flowers.  These  Brazilian  royalties  gener- 


The  Empress  of  Brazil. 


THE  EMPEROR  OF  BRAZIL. 


255 


ally  “ take  the  air  ” in  barouches  drawn  by  four  mules,  with 
postilions  and  a single  mounted  orderly.  They  are  always 
the  recipients  of  the  most  profound  salutations,  which, 
whether  from  peasant  or  prince,  they  always  graciously 
acknowledge.  His  Majesty’s  life  at  Petropolis,  as  elsewhere, 
is  a very  active  one.  Besides  his  political  and  social  duties 
and  offices,  he  daily  takes  long  walks  and  drives.  He  is  also 
an  expert  horseman,  and  delights  in  athletic  exercise.  He  is 
a great  scholar,  and  at  the  time  of  my  visit  was  especially 
interested  in  the  study  of  Sanskrit.  Even  when  riding 
through  the  streets  of  Rio  in  the  imperial  carriage,  he  gener- 
ally sits  bareheaded,  reading.  In  fact,  his  intellectual  and 
physical  activity  are  altogether  phenomenal.  I have  just 
read,  in  a Portuguese  newspaper,  an  account  of  his  life  in 
Paris,  when  on  a recent  visit  to  Europe  for  the  purpose  of 
restoring  his  health.  The  great  astronomer,  Camille  Flam- 
marion,  had  been  visited  by  the  Emperor,  accompanied  by  a 
suite  of  twenty  people.  Horn  Pedro  manifested  much  inter- 
est in  the  library,  collections,  and  instruments  of  Flamma- 
rion’s  observatory.  The  gyrating  dome  contains  a large 
equatorial  telescope,  an  instrument  of  high  precision,  whose 
management  was  familiar  to  the  learned  monarch  of  Brazil. 
The  man  really  the  fashion  in  the  metropolis  of  the  French 
Republic  was  the  Emperor.  He  lived  in  the  Grand  Hotel, 
admitted  visitors,  and  talked  to  all  intelligently  and  modestly. 
In  general  he  reserved  to  himself  the  right  to  ask  questions. 
He  attended  balls,  frequented  scientific  institutions,  and  lost 
no  opportunity  of  gaining  knowledge.  He  saw  all  the  nota- 
ble pictures  and  the  great  artists,  he  went  to  the  conservatory, 
the  race-course,  the  exchange,  the  opera. 

The  Emperor  was  bom  in  the  palace  of  San  Cristoval,  on 
December  2,  1825,  and  began  his  reign  in  his  fifteenth  year 
— fifteen  years  after  Brazilian  independence — for  his  father, 
Pedro  I.,  being  unwilling  to  accept  so  liberal  a Constitution, 
frankly  expressed  his  sentiments,  honorably  abdicated,  and 
retired  to  Portugal.  Pedro  II.  was  married  in  1843  to  an 
Italian  princess,  daughter  of  Francis  L,  King  of  the  Two 


256  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


Sicilies.  The  Empress  is  amiable,  philanthropic,  and  very 
popular.  The  Emperor’s  heir  is  his  only  daughter,  Princess 
Isabella,  who  has  several  times  acted  as  regent.  She  is 
about  forty  years  old,  and  is  the  wife  of  Count  d’Eu,  a grand- 
son of  Louis  Philippe.  Brazil  is  a constitutional  empire,  the 
Legislature  consisting  of  a Senate  and  a Chamber  of  Depu- 
ties, members  of  the  former  being  elected  for  life,  and  of  the 
latter  for  four  years. 

Brazil  is  the  first  state  in  size,  enlightenment,  and  impor- 
tance in  South  America.  It  is  nearly  as  large  as  all  Europe, 
and  larger  than  the  United  States  before  Alaska  was  acquired. 
It  has  vast  resources — a fertile  soil,  immense  pastures,  great 
forests,  and  stores  of  minerals  and  diamonds.  With  one 
exception  Dom  Pedro’s  is  the  longest  reign  of  any  living 
monarch’s,  the  accession  of  Queen  Victoria  preceding  his  by 
three  years ; and  it  is  during  his  reign,  and  through  his  exer- 
tions and  influence,  that  Brazil  has  steadily  grown  in  power 
and  importance.  The  national  finances  are  in  a prosperous 
condition,  railways  have  been  built,  telegraphs  and  cable-lines 
have  been  extended  in  every  direction,  the  navigation  of 
rivers  has  been  promoted,  slavery  has  been  abolished,  and 
free  education  has  been  made  universal  throughout  the  em- 
pire. Long  life  and  prosperity,  then,  to  Dom  Pedro  d’Alcan- 
tara,  Constitutional  Emperor  and  Defender  of  Brazil,  whose 
jubilee  year  draws  nigh ! 

I took  the  opportunity  while  at  Bio  to  visit  the  largest 
ironclad  in  the  Brazilian  navy,  which  was  then  lying  at 
anchor  in  the  harbor.  It  was  the  steam-frigate  Biachuelo, 
the  admiral’s  flag-ship.  I found  myself  heartily  welcomed 
at  the  gangway,  and  was  presented  to  a lieutenant,  who, 
having  studied  for  some  years  in  England,  spoke  the  language 
fluently,  and  not  only  showed  me  all  over  the  great  man-of- 
war  and  explained  everything  that  was  new  to  me,  but  also 
invited  me  to  remain  to  breakfast  with  himself  and  brother 
officers.  The  Biachuelo  was  built  in  Chatham,  England,  and 
everything  about  her  equipment,  from  stem  to  stern,  is  thor- 
oughly English.  She  is  of  six  thousand  tons  burden,  sharp 


The  Brazilian  Ironclad  Riachuelo. 


THE  EMPEROR  OF  BRAZIL . 


257 


at  both  ends,  with  three  decks,  three  masts,  two  funnels,  and 
three  thousand  horse-power,  which  enables  her  to  steam  six- 
teen knots  an  hour.  Her  length  is  three  hundred  feet, 
breadth  fifty  feet,  depth  thirty  feet.  She  has  two  turrets, 
upon  which  her  armor  is  eleven  inches  in  thickness.  Else- 
where the  thickness  is  eight  inches.  Her  armament  consists 
of  four  nine-inch  Armstrong,  four  four-inch,  and  eighteen 
Hordenfelt  guns.  Upon  her  upper  deck  she  carries  a great 
iron  torpedo-boat,  and  between  decks  she  has  several  machines 
which  shoot  forth  torpedoes  by  means  of  compressed  air. 
Her  crew  complete  numbers  four  hundred  men.  There  are 
two  guns  pointing  forward  in  the  bow,  and  two  in  the  stern 
directed  backward.  On  either  side,  at  a short  distance  from 
the  bow,  are  the  large  turrets  which,  together  with  their  mas- 
sive contents,  are  turned  by  machinery.  The  huge  cannon 
are  so  nicely  adjusted  that  a child  can  move  them  up  or  down, 
to  the  right  or  to  the  left  hand.  The  frigate  is  every- 
where lighted  by  electricity.  In  short,  every  modern  in- 
vention and  improvement  in  gunnery,  in  machinery,  and 
in  domestic  equipment  has  been  supplied  to  this  splendid 
ironclad.  The  Brazilian  navy,  however,  is  not  a very  exten- 
sive one.  There  were  two  other  war-vessels  in  the  harbor, 
one  upon  the  stocks,  and  five  absent  on  foreign  service. 
Doubtless  if  Brazil  felt  the  need  of  a larger  navy,  she  would 
build  it,  just  as  the  United  States  would  do.  Lying  near  the 
Biachuelo  was  a large  double-turreted  monitor,  which  I also 
visited.  Here,  however,  I was  not  so  fortunate.  Finding 
no  one  who  could  speak  either  English,  French,  or  Spanish,  I 
was  obliged  to  launch  forth  with  such  “ crippled  ” Portuguese 
as  I then  possessed.  The  monitor  was  called  the  Javari.  Her 
d >ks  did  not  rise  more  than  three  feet  above  the  surface  of 
tl>  j water.  Her  length  was  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet, 
her  breadth  a hundred,  and  her  depth  thirty  feet.  She  had 
three  decks,  and  was  plated,  including  the  upper  deck,  with 
five-inch  armor.  Her  armament  consisted  of  four  ten-inch 
Whitworth  guns,  two  in  each  turret.  This  monitor  is  in- 
tended chiefly  for  harbor  and  river  defense,  though  it  can 
17 


258  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


safely  visit  the  coast-ports ; but,  if  the  sea  is  at  all  rough, 
she  is  half  under  water  all  the  time.  The  hatches  and  other 
apertures  have  to  be  battened  down,  and  she  is  driven  through 
the  water  as  fast  as  may  be.  Air  for  the  men  to  breathe  has 
to  be  forced  below  by  machinery  specially  provided  for  the 
purpose.  On  such  a voyage  it  is  needless  to  add  that  all  on 
board  are  thoroughly  uncomfortable. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


THE  PEO  VINCE  OF  SAN  PAULO. 

In  company  with  my  good  friends,  Messrs.  Derby  and 
Lamonreux,  I made  a ten  days’  visit  to  San  Paulo,  the  rich- 
est coffee  province  of  Brazil.  We  went  by  the  Dom  Pedro 
II.  Railway,  and  returned  by  steamer  from  Santos,  an  impor- 
tant commercial  city  and  the  chief  port  of  San  Paulo.  The 
distance  to  San  Paulo  city,  the  capital  of  the  province  of 
like  name,  is  three  hundred  and  ten  miles,  and  the  running 
time  of  the  daily  express  thirteen  hours,  including  stops. 
The  cars  were  built  on  a sort  of  compromise  with  the  Ameri- 
can idea,  though  they,  and  also  the  locomotives,  came  from 
England.  The  start  is  made  at  the  early  hour  of  five  in  the 
morning,  so  as  not  to  be  obliged  to  travel  at  night,  for  fear 
of  accidents.  Our  very  long  train  was  later  on  divided  into 
several  trains,  each  taking  a branch  road.  The  general  direc- 
tion of  our  route  was  first  northwest,  until  we  had  ascended 
the  mountains,  and  then  southwest  to  San  Paulo.  For 
mounting  the  serra  two  locomotives  were  used,  one  at  each 
end  of  the  train.  This  part  of  the  road  contains  fifteen  tun- 
nels, and  is  a splendid  piece  of  engineering.  One  of  these 
tunnels  is  a mile  and  a half  in  length,  and  upon  it  were  ex- 
pended seven  years  of  labor  and  over  two  million  milreis. 
The  first  section  of  the  road  passes  over  a flat,  low  country, 
but  after  leaving  the  town  of  Belem  it  begins  to  ascend  the 
mountains  in  heavy  grades  and  sweeping  curves.  The  scen- 
ery is  indescribably  grand  and  beautiful,  particularly  from 
the  neighborhood  of  Palmeiras,  a little  station  overlooking 
the  Macocos  Yalley,  which  enjoys  a high  reputation  as  a 


260  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


health  resort.  The  country  is  not  thickly  settled,  and  the 
towns  at  which  we  stopped  are  small  and  of  the  same  unin- 
teresting type.  We  breakfast  at  Barra  do  Pirahy,  a small 
railway-junction  town  on  the  Parahyba  Biver,  about  seventy 
miles  from  Pio.  As  we  go  on,  we  follow  the  Parahyba 
River,  sometimes  on  one  bank,  sometimes  on  the  other.  It 
is  a muddy  little  stream,  full  of  rapids,  and  unuavigable 
save  perhaps  for  canoes.  We  pass  along  a great  valley,  some 
fifty  miles  wide,  with  beautiful  ranges  of  mountains  on  each 
hand,  that  toward  the  south  being  the  coast  range,  and  the 
least  interesting.  In  the  other,  the  Serra  da  Mantiqueira,  we 
pass  the  highest  peak  in  Brazil.  It  is  named  Itatiaia,  and  is 
about  nine  thousand  feet  above  sea-level. 

San  Paulo  lies  upon  a great  plain,  with  low  hills  upon  the 
entire  horizon.  It  is  a city  of  about  fifty  thousand  inhabit- 
ants. The  houses  are  of  one  story.  There  is  a pretty  pub- 
lic garden,  with  a tall  tower  from  which  a wide  survey  of  the 
neighboring  country  may  be  had.  Tramways  reach  the  sub- 
urbs, where  are  many  charming  country-houses,  at  one  of 
which — that  of  Mr.  Squire  Sampson,  a retired  American 
railway  contractor — we  were  royally  entertained  for  several 
days.  San  Paulo  may  be  said  to  be  the  headquarters  of  the 
coffee  interest,  and  from  here  run  four  lines  of  railway  to  the 
great  coffee  districts  of  the  interior.  Brazil,  I may  remind 
the  reader,  yields  more  than  half  the  coffee  consumed  in  the 
world,  and  the  United  States  takes  more  than  half  the  quan- 
tity exported.  There  are  two  and  sometimes  three  coffee 
harvests  in  a year.  In  1754  the  first  coffee-tree  in  Brazil  was 
planted  in  the  garden  of  the  San  Antonio  Convent,  in  Rio 
Janeiro,  but  coffee  did  not  become  an  object  of  cultivation 
until  many  years  after.  Early  in  the  present  century  its 
value  as  an  exportable  product  began  to  be  recognized,  and 
its  cultivation  at  once  became  an  object  of  general  interest. 
The  hills  about  Rio  and  around  the  bay  were  covered  with 
coffee-orchards,  the  remains  of  which  are  still  to  be  seen. 
Coffee  cultivation,  however,  has  long  since  disappeared  from 
that  vicinity,  and  with  the  opening  of  railways  across  the 


THE  PROVINCE  OF  SAN  PAULO. 


261 


mountain-ranges  along  the  coast,  has  pushed  its  way  into  the 
virgin  districts  of  the  interior.  The  trade  of  Rio  Janeiro  is 
almost  wholly  dependent  upon  coffee.  Mr.  Sampson  kindly 
accompanied  us  to  a city  called  Campinas,  about  eighty  miles 
to  the  north,  in  order  that  we  might  visit  some  of  the  famons 
fazendas , or  coffee-plantations.  The  city  of  Campinas  has  a 
population  of  about  twenty  thousand.  It  is  curiously  situ- 
ated in  a great  hollow  of  the  plain,  which  makes  it  a very 
hot,  uncomfortable,  and  unhealthy  residence.  The  richer 
citizens,  therefore,  build  their  houses  on  the  higher  land  of 
the  environs.  At  the  time  of  our  visit  to  Campinas,  a fair 
of  local  products  and  industries  was  being  held,  which  was 
especially  interesting  from  the  great  variety  of  coffee  sam- 
ples and  coffee  machinery  exhibited. 

From  Campinas  we  made  an  excursion,  in  one  day,  to 
several  of  the  neighboring  coffee  estates.  The  country  roads 
were  very  bad,  and  I did  not  wonder  that  “ buck-board  ” 
wagons  were  the  favorite  vehicles.  Immediately  upon  leav- 
ing the  city,  the  straight  rows  of  the  coffee-trees  are  every- 
where seen  extending  along  the  bases  of  the  lower  hills.  In 
fact,  it  is  the  same  all  the  way  along  the  railway,  from  Rio 
to  San  Paulo,  and  on  to  Campinas.  Almost  the  only  other 
cultivated  products  that  attract  attention  are  maize  and 
mandioc,  which  are  all  consumed  in  the  country.  Perhaps 
the  chief  dependence  of  the  people  is  upon  mandioc.  This 
is  a shrub,  with  large  roots,  which,  after  being  scraped  to  a 
pulp  and  pressed,  are  baked  on  hot  iron  or  earthenware 
plates.  The  mandioc,  when  washed  and  dried,  furnishes  the 
tapioca  of  commerce.  There  is,  of  course,  a similarity  about 
the  manor-houses  of  all  the  great  fazendas.  Most  of  them 
are  placed  high  up  on  the  side  of  beautiful  valleys,  with 
magnificent  outlooks,  and  all  have  splendid  fruit-orchards 
and  flower-gardens,  in  which  you  see  growing,  side  by  side, 
the  choice  representatives  of  two  zones.  The  houses  are  of 
enormous  size,  and  are  approached  by  massive  flights  of 
steps.  The  rooms  are  thirty  and  even  forty  feet  square,  and 
twenty-five  feet  in  height,  without  carpets  and  with  com- 


1 


262  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

paratively  little  furniture.  There  is  a universal  and  divert- 
ing method  of  placing  the  sofa  and  chairs  in  the  parlors. 
Three  or  four  chairs  always  stanjl  in  rows  at  right  angles 
from  the  ends  of  the  sofa.  This,  of  course,  gives  the  room 
an  oddly  stiff  appearance.  In  these  rows  the  men  always  sit 
upon  one  side  and  the  women  upon  the  opposite.  I did  not 
see  a library,  or  books  other  than  a few  novels,  in  any  of 
these  grand  establishments.  The  bedrooms  often  have  no 
windows  or  any  means  of  ventilation,  and  are  only  lighted 
by  their  open  doors.  The  size  and  style  of  the  dining-rooms 
reminded  me  of  those  in  the  old  baronial  castles  of  England. 
We  were  invited  to  breakfast  in  one  of  these,  and  there  met 
the  proprietor’s  wife,  a rather  pretty  woman,  gayly  attired. 
We  were  waited  on  by  old  and  ugly  slaves.  The  wife  said 
little  or  nothing  during  the  meal,  and  this  was  all  that  we 
saw  of  her,  though  we  remained  some  time.  I rather  pitied 
her  lonely  existence,  with  no  companions  but  negroes,  and 
apparently  with  no  employment  or  diversion  save  embroid- 
ery $nd  lolling  in  a hammock.  But  I believe  my  sympathy 
to  have  been  misplaced,  for  she  seemed  very  contented,  and 
to  my  question,  “Would  she  not  like  to  visit  Europe?”  she 
replied  in  the  negative.  In  the  same  inclosures  as  the  manor- 
houses  were  the  quarters  of  the  superintendent,  the  hospital, 
barns  for  the  stock,  and  buildings  for  the  preparation  of  cof- 
fee for  the  market.  Several  acres  of  a sloping  hill-side  near 
by,  covered  with  cement  and  properly  drained,  were  used 
for  drying  coffee.  The  most  interesting  buildings  to  me 
were  the  slave  quarters — great  quadrangles  of  low,  single- 
story, mud  huts,  with  a huge  gate  which  locked  the  slaves 
in  at  night.  I had  the  curiosity  to  examine  one  of  the  huts, 
and  found  therein  nothing  but  a hammock,  a bare  bamboo 
bed,  a few  cooking-utensils,  and  the  embers  of  a lire  upon 
the  mud  door.  Some  rude  attempt  at  ornament  had,  how- 
ever, been  made  by  means  of  pictures  cut  from  English  illus- 
trated papers.  The  slaves  during  all  the  day  are,  of  course, 
at  work  in  the  fields. 

And  now  I am  naturally  brought  to  a consideration  of 


THE  PROVINCE  OF  SAN  PAULO. 


263 


the  general  subject  of  Brazilian  slavery  and  emancipation, 
which,  however,  has  been  so  freely  and  so  frequently  discussed 
in  our  daily  journals  and  elsewhere,  that  I need  but  recount 
briefly  my  own  impressions.  By  the  law  of  the  28th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1871,  it  was  declared  that  from  that  date  every  new- 
born child  of  a slave  within  the  limits  of  the  empire  should  be 
free.  All  government  slaves  and  slaves  of  the  imperial 
household  were  also  declared  free.  With  the  object  of 
gradually  freeing  the  slaves  of  private  individuals,  the  same 
law  established  an  emancipation  fund,  the  proceeds  of  which 
were  annually  applied  for  this  purpose.  The  total  extinction 
of  slavery,  without  danger  to  public  safety,  and  without  det- 
riment to  the  rights  of  private  property,  thus  seemed  assured 
at  no  very  distant  date.  A few  months  before  I went  to  Bio, 
a law  was  passed  making  all  slaves  who  were  sixty-five  years 
old  free  un condition ally^  and  manumitting  all  other  slaves 
upon  their  attaining  the  age  of  sixty,  on  condition  of  their 
continuing,  until  the  age  of  sixty-five  to  serve  their  former 
masters.  Under  this  law  slaves  who  were  over  sixty,  but 
under  sixty-five,  at  the  time  it  was  passed,  would,  though 
practically  free,  have  longer  or  shorter  periods  of  servitude 
still  before  them,  according  as  their  ages  approximated  that 
at  which  absolute  freedom  became  their  right.  Those  who 
had  that  right  might,  if  they  preferred,  remain  with  their 
former  masters,  at  a certain  remuneration,  unless  they  chose 
another  manner  of  earning  a living  for  which  they  were  con- 
sidered fit  by  the  judges  of  the  orphans’  courts.  An  official 
valuation  was  fixed  on  all  others,  and  an  additional  five-per- 
cent tax  on  all  revenues,  except  export  duties,  was  imposed 
for  the  interest  charges  on  the  proposed  emancipation  bonds, 
and  for  increasing  the  emancipation  fund.  The  maximum 
price  from  the  emancipation  fund  necessary  to  free  a slave, 
under  the  new  law,  was  four  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 

But  there  seems  to  have  been  a rapidly  growing  discon- 
tent among  the  slaves.  In  the  southern  part  of  the  prov- 
ince of  San  Paulo  a great  simultaneous  slave  revolt  had  been 
planned  for  Christ  mas-eve,  1886,  but  was  detected  at  the  last 


264  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

moment  by  one  of  tbe  planters.  An  alarm  was  given,  .and 
military  dispatched  to  the  disaffected  plantations.  There  was 
a concerted  action  among  the  slaves  which  boded  ill  for  the 
future.  The  peculiar  dangers  of  the  situation  were  dangers 
which  must  have  increased  with  lapse  of  time.  The  much- 
used  statement  that  the  end  of  this  century  would  see  the 
end  of  negro  slavery  in  Brazil  was  not,  under  the  systjem  of 
enfranchisement,  at  all  correct.  There  was  still  a large  slave 
population  which  was  being  freed  at  an  infinitesimally  slow 
rate— only  about  one  a year  out  of  every  two  hundred  of  their 
number.  Brazil  had  a large  free  negro  population,  which 
enjoyed  all  the  privileges  of  white  citizens.  It  acquired 
material  advantages  in  the  matter  of  wealth  and  position 
through  the  use  of  its  freedom.  The  emancipation  fund  dis- 
tributions among  certain  of  their  race  were  naturally  observed 
with  bitter  disappointment  and  envy  by  the  slaves.  The 
natural  result  of  all  this  was,  to  make  them  discontented  and 
dissatisfied.  It  aroused  feelings  of  desperation  which,  in  the 
end,  tended  to  revolt ; and  this  danger  increased  from  year 
to  year.  What  should  be  done  ? The  emancipation  question 
had  been  studied  from  so  many  sides  in  Brazil,  so  many  new 
projects  had  been  tested,  only  to  be  afterward  rejected,  that  I 
hesitated  to  give  an  opinion.  And  yet  it  seemed  to  me,  with 
such  light  on  the  puzzling  subject  as  I could  obtain  from  every 
quarter,  that  instantaneous  and  total  manumission  would  be 
the  better  course.  The  only  way  the  Brazilian  could  disarm 
and  avoid  his  threatened  ruin  was  by  decreeing  immediate 
emancipation,  and  making  suitable  provisions  for  attaching 
the  freedmen  to  the  soil,  for  which  negroes  were  better  suited 
than  any  other  race  which  could  be  brought  into  the  country. 
Thus  I wrote  in  1886.  Two  years  afterward,  on  May  17, 
1888,  the  Brazilian  Senate  passed  a bill — which  had  been 
passed  by  the  Chamber  of  Deputies  the  preceding  week — 
granting  immediate  and  unconditional  emancipation. 

On  May  18,  1888,  a government  decree  was  issued,  ap- 
pointing three  days  for  festivities  in  celebration  of  the  aboli- 
tion of  slavery.  During  those  days  the  public  offices  and 


THE  PROVINCE  OF  SAN  PAULO. 


265 


almost  all  tlie  private  establishments  were  closed.  The  fes- 
tival commenced  with  a grand  mass  in  the  open  air,  in  the 
great  square  of  Dom  Pedro  I.,  celebrated  with  immense  pomp 
in  the  presence  of  the  Princess  Regent  and  family,  the  min- 
isters of  state,  the  foreign  representatives,  officers  and  offi- 
cials of  every  rank,  numerous  corporations,  societies,  aud 
schools,  the  garrison  and  naval  forces  of  Rio,  and  an  immense 
assemblage  of  people.  After  this  imposing  ceremony  and  a 
naval  and  military  parade  were  over,  grand  processions  of 
schools,  societies,  corporations,  students,  and  public  and  private 
employes  of  all  classes  were  organized,  day  after  day,  and 
marched  with  bands,  banners,  orators,  and  addresses,  through 
the  principal  streets,  which  were  all  decorated  with  flags  and 
foliage,  and  at  night  were  brilliantly  illuminated.  The  thea- 
tres were  opened  gratuitously  to  the  public,  and  on  May  20th, 
at  night,  two  of  the  public  squares  were  transformed  into  open- 
air  ball-rooms,  to  whose  gratuitous  Terpsichorean  exercises 
the  people  of  Rio,  and  especially  the  newly  made  citizens, 
were  invited — an  invitation  as  largely  accepted  as  generously 
offered.  The  balls  commenced  after  a beautiful  display  of 
fire- works,  and  were  carried  on  until  the  morning  of  the  21st. 

From  San  Paulo  we  took  the  English  railway  to  Santos, 
its  seaport,  about  forty  miles  distant,  whence  we  intended  to 
return  to  Rio  by  sea.  The  railway  runs  through  an  uninter- 
esting expanse  of  country,  until  it  reaches  the  summit  of  the 
coast  range  of  mountains — the  Serra  do  Mar — down  which 
runs  a cable  road,  a distance  of  five  miles  in  four  “ inclined 
planes.”  A train  coming  up  balances  that  on  which  you 
descend.  The  height  of  the  ridge  is  about  twenty-five  hun- 
dred feet.  The  vdre  cables  used  are  an  inch  and  a half  in 
diameter.  There  are  powerful  engines  located  at  the  top  of 
each  incline.  The  steepest  incline  is  ten  per  cent.  This  road 
has  been  open  some  twenty-odd  years.  Its  original  cost  was 
very  great,  running,  as  it  does,  upon  the  steep  flanks  of  val- 
leys where  much  stone-work  was  required.  Owing  to  the 
peculiar  topography  of  this  section  of  country,  enormous 
floods  of  rain  fall  during  a single  brief  storm.  In  order  to 


266  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


draw  off  these  dangerous  inundations,  frequent  sluices  are 
built  beneath  the  road-bed,  and  massive  conduits  almost  con- 
tinuously follow  its  surface.  Destructive  land-slides  occasion- 
ally occur,  notwithstanding  precaution  has  been  taken  against 
them.  The  views  from  the  summit  of  the  Serra  do  Mar  are  su- 
perb. You  look  into  a great  valley  full  of  bright-green  trees, 
and  away  to  peak  after  peak  in  the  distance  toward  the  sea. 

Reaching  the  plain,  a short  run  took  us  to  Santos,  a town 
of  about  twenty  thousand  people,  built  at  the  foot  of  some 
green  hills  and  adjoining  a short  but  deep  river,  which  per- 
mits large  steamers  to  approach  its  wharves,  or  at  least  an- 
chor near  by.  Santos  is  probably  the  second  seaport  of  the 
empire  in  the  value  and  importance  of  its  exports.  It  is  a 
hot,  dirty,  damp,  unwholesome  place,  but  there  is  a large 
healthy  suburb,  about  four  miles  distant,  toward  the  sea,  at 
the  south,  and  reached  by  a tramway.  Going  out  you  pass 
many  beautiful  country-houses,  and  upon  arriving  you  look 
over  the  Bay  of  Santos,  and  out  upon  the  broad  Atlantic. 
Opposite  this  place — called  the  “ Barra,”  the  bar,  where 
there  is  an  exceptionally  fine  sea-beach,  which  is  a favorite 
residence  with  foreigners — is  a small  dilapidated  fort.  All 
about  the  bay  rise  picturesque  hills,  and  the  coast  on  the 
journey  to  Rio  shows  many  fine  views  of  a like  character. 
We  took  passage  in  the  Argentine,  of  the  Hamburg  South 
American  Steamship  Company,  a clean,  comfortable,  well- 
provisioned,  and  well-ordered  steamer.  As  regards  the  great 
peaks  to  the  northward  and  westward  of  Rio,  I am  at  a loss 
to  decide  whether  the  view  is  more  remarkable  from  the 
ocean  or  from  the  bay.  At  any  rate,  I feel  safe  in  saying 
that  the  assemblage  of  peaks  and  ranges,  rocks  and  valleys, 
coasts  and  beaches,  lying  promiscuously  about  the  entrance  to 
Rio  Harbor,  presents  one  of  the  most  interesting  scenic  spec- 
tacles to  be  found  anywhere  in  the  world.  As  we  came 
from  another  port  of  the  same  empire,  we  had  no  trouble 
with  the  custom-house  inspectors,  but  upon  landing  found 
the  city  a worthy  successor  of  the  fiery  furnace  so  graphically 
described  in  Hqly  Writ. 


Pines,  Minas-  Geraes,  Brazil. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


A TRIP  TO  MORRO  YELHO. 

After  seeing  everything  of  interest  in  Rio  and  its  en- 
virons, and  having  visited  San  Paulo,  I determined  to  see 
something  of  the  interior  of  Minas-Geraes,  the  highest  table- 
land, the  most  populous,  and  one  of  the  richest  and  most 
important  of  the  provinces  of  Brazil.  The  prairies  are  cov- 
ered with  vast  herds  of  cattle,  while  below  the  surface  in 
rocks,  or  alluvial  deposits,  or  in  the  sands  of  rivers,  are  found 
gold,  lead,  coal,  topazes,  amethysts,  and  diamonds.  I had 
proposed  to  visit  the  old  Portuguese  gold-mine  of  Morro 
Yelho,  the  richest  in  the  empire,  and  the  largest  and  deepest 
in  the  world  ; Ouro  Preto,  the  curious  capital  of  Minas- 
Geraes  ; Nova  Friburgo,  the  site  of  the  first  colony  estab- 
lished in  Brazil ; and  Nictheroy,  the  capital  of  the  province 
of  Rio  Janeiro.  The  journey  would  be  performed  by 
steamer,  railroad,  and  mule-back.  It  would  cover  about  one 
thousand  miles,  and  require  at  least  a month.  The  general 
direction  of  the  tour  would  be  north  and  south,  and  Petrop- 
olis,  which  I had  already  visited,  would  be  the  actual  point 
of  departure.  From  here  I intended  to  go  to  a village 
called  Entre  Rios,  on  the  Parahyba  River,  and  about  sixty 
miles  distant.  At  the  low- vitality  hour  of  4 a.  m.  I heard 
the  bugle  of  the  coach,  and,  hailing  it,  took  the  only  remain- 
ing outside  seat. 

This  coach  was  of  the  orthodox  English  pattern,  holding 
four  “ insides  ” and  fourteen  “ outsides.”  There  were  two 
classes  of  passengers.  We  were  drawn  by  five  mules,  the 
three  leaders  being  harnessed  abreast.  The  coach  was  named 
u Celeridade,”  and  well  deserved  its  title,  for  we  bowled 


268  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


along  at  a swift  gallop  of  at  least  ten  miles  an  hour.  The 
road  has  been  built  many  years,  and  is  a capital  piece  of  en- 
gineering. It  is  macadamized,  and  at  intervals  are  toll-gates. 
The  streams  are  crossed  by  good  iron-girder  bridges.  The 
company  dispatches  one  coach  each  way  per  day,  and,  of 
course,  carries  the  mail.  But  the  care  of  this  in  no  wise  in- 
terfered with  our  progress.  Bags  were  handed  up  to  the 
guard  on  sticks,  which,  having  removed,  he  threw  back,  and 
other  bags  were  tossed  out,  without  a pause  in  our  speed. 
Leaving  Petropolis  we  followed  a narrow  valley,  containing 
the  Piabanha  Piver,  nearly  all  the  way  to  Entre  Bios,  cross- 
ing the  stream  several  times.  The  whole  ride  was  through  a 
most  picturesque  region,  and  the  excellence  of  the  road,  to- 
gether with  the  rapid  pace  at  which  we  covered  it,  made  a 
very  exhilarating  journey.  It  being  so  early  in  the  morning, 
and  cloudy,  overcoats  were  comfortable,  and  hot  coffee  at  one 
station  added  not  a little  to  our  well-being.  The  gorge 
along  which  we  flew  was  generally  denuded  of  trees,  and 
covered  with  corn,  coffee,  or  pasture,  alternately.  The  river 
was  merely  a great  brawling  mountain  torrent,  dashing  itself 
over  rocks,  swirling  around  corners,  and  roaring  and  raging  as 
if  wild  at  being  so  buffeted.  The  hills  were  of  the  same  un- 
couth, sugar-loaf,  dome-and-peak  character  as  those  surround- 
ing the  Bay  of  Bio.  Some  were  green  and  wooded,  and 
some  were  of  bare  rock,  precipitous  and  smooth,  save  for 
beautiful  clumps  of  lichen.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  river 
a new  narrow-gauge  railroad — but  not  then  in  operation — 
followed  us  for  half  the  distance  to  Entre  Bios,  to  which  it 
is  to  be  eventually  extended.  Great  carts,  drawn  by  five 
yoke  of  oxen,  and  loaded  with  bags  of  coffee,  were  continu- 
ally passing  us  on  their  way  to  the  shore  of  the  great  bay, 
and  thence  to  a market.  In  the  coffee-plantations  I noticed 
slaves  at  work  hoeing  maize,  and  superintended  by  mulattoes, 
each  with  an  ever-ready  whip  strung  around  his  neck.  The 
houses  were  usually  very  mean  mud  structures,  but  occasion- 
ally we  got  sight  of  the  superior  headquarters  of  a coffee 
estate  encompassed  with  beautiful  gardens.  Just  before 


A TRIP  TO  MORRO  VELEO. 


269 


reaching  Entre  Rios,  we  crossed  the  Parahyba  River  on  a 
long  iron  bridge,  supported  by  stone  piers.  Entre  Rios  is 
an  insignificant  little  village,  only  important  as  being  the 
junction  of  the  great  Dom  Pedro  II.  Railroad,  and  also  of 
another  which  runs  a long  distance  to  the  eastward.  Our 
coach  made  close  connection  with  the  train,  in  which  I de- 
posited myself  and  baggage. 

At  first  we  followed  the  valley  of  the  Parahvbuna,  a 
branch  of  the  Parahyba,  both  the  banks  and  the  hills  being 
covered  with  coffee-plants  of  various  growths,  as  evidenced 
by  their  varying  shades  of  green.  Then  we  gradually  rose 
and  passed  over  a ridge  commanding  a long  backward  view 
of  woody  hills,  so  incessantly  undulating  as  to  resemble  a 
great  ocean  of  tumultuous  verdure.  The  various  tints,  from 
the  most  delicate  green  of  the  young  coffee  to  the  dark  vel- 
vety emerald  of  the  forests,  melted  their  infinite  gradations 
into  each  other,  and  made  a particularly  pleasing  panoramic 
prospect.  Besides  the  coffee,  much  maize  was  grown.  I had 
observed  that  the  coach-road  was  a veritable  cork-screw ; that 
often,  at  a distance  of  less  than  half  a mile  ahead,  you  could 
not  for  your  life  tell  how  you  were  to  get  out  of  the  cul-de- 
sac,  or  which  way  the  valley  would  wind.  But  of  all  the 
railway-rides  I ever  took,  this  was  certainly  the  most  crooked. 
In  order  to  avoid  the  numerous  knolls,  it  had  to  turn  and 
turn,  often  making  a complete  semicircle.  The  formation  of 
the  country  was  quite  extraordinary.  Ridges  were  absent,  but 
in  their  place  were  thousands  of  detached  hills  and  hillocks, 
with  very  straitened  valleys  between.  The  railway  might 
be  accurately  described  as  made  of  embankments,  curves, 
and  earth-channels.  The  soil  being  quite  red,  partly  from 
the  presence  of  iron-ore,  the  huge  slices  which  were  frequent- 
ly pared  from  the  hills  looked  like  great  scars  on  Mother 
Earth’s  green  body.  We  stopped  at  many  stations,  but  they 
were  generally  only  the  smallest  of  villages.  Exceptions 
would  be  the  towns  of  Parahybuna  and  Barbacena.  The 
second  section  of  our  journey  consisted  largely  of  forests, 
while  the  third  contained  considerable  grazing  land.  Occa- 


270  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


sionally  we  could  see  large  manor-houses,  and  the  train 
seemed  full  of  men  whom,  from  their  dress,  manner,  and 
conversation,  I imagined  to  he  coffee -planters.  Slaves  were 
everywhere  at  work  in  the  fields,  striving  with  enormous  hoes 
to  root  out  the  ever-luxuriant  weeds.  A little  before  reaching 
Barbacena,  a branch  line  runs  a long  distance  to  the  westward. 

The  village  of  Lafayette  is  the  present  terminus  of  .the 
railway,  which,  however,  will  soon  reach  Sahara,  with  a 
branch  line  to  Ouro  Preto.  It  is  intended  eventually  to  ex- 
tend the  Dom  Pedro  II.  Pailway  from  Sahara,  on  the  Pio 
das  Velhas,  to  the  junction  of  that  river  with  the  San  Fran- 
cisco, of  which  it  is  the  main  branch.  Uninterrupted  steam- 
er communication  will  be  had  down  the  San'  Francisco  for 
thirteen  hundred  miles,  to  the  famous  rapids  of  Paulo  Affon- 
so.  Around  these  rapids  has  already  been  built  a railway, 
from  whose  terminus  other  steamers  ply  directly  to  the  point 
where  the  San  Francisco  empties  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 
Lafayette  and  Pio  are  daily  connected  by  an  express-train 
each  way.  It  is  one  day’s  mule-ride  to  Ouro  Preto,  and  three 
to  Morro  Yelho.  .There  are  three  very  fair  little  hotels  in 
Lafayette — one  of  them  has  the  winning  title  of  “ Friendship 
Hotel,”  and  another  is  called  Good  Hope  Hotel.”  The  sta- 
tion of  Lafayette  is  about  half  a mile  distant  from  the  town 
of  Queluz,  which  is  built  along  the  summit  of  a ridge  of 
hills,  whence  a splendid  view  of  the  country  in  every  direc- 
tion may  be  had.  It  consists  almost  entirely  of  one  long  and 
very  broad  street,  faced  by  one-story,  whitewashed  houses. 
At  about  the  middle  and  at  one  end  are  churches.  At  the 
other  extremity  are  a chapel  and  a cemetery.  Queluz,  but 
twelve  hours  from  Pio,  could  not,  in  a certain  sense,  be  far- 
ther off  if  it  were  a thousand  miles  in  the  interior.  Pio  is  a 
great  Europeanized  city,  importing  or  manufacturing  every 
necessary  as  well  as  all  the  conveniences  and  luxuries  of  life ; 
whereas  in  Queluz  the  people  make  their  own  clothes  and 
soap.  It  is  a very  abrupt  transition  from  culture  to  primi- 
tiveness. In  Queluz  the  dead  are  buried  in  the  parish 
churchyard,  without  any  ceremonial  and  with  no  clergyman 


A TRIP  TO  MORRO  VELHO. 


271 


present.  The  streets  at  night  are  unlighted.  If  you  wish  a 
prescription  compounded,  you  will  lose  much  time  in  search- 
ing for  the  druggist.  He  may  be  out  riding  or  shooting,  or 
his  shop  may  be  closed,  or  u peradventure  he  traveleth.” 
Even  if  found  at  home,  he  has  been  known  to  return  word 
that  the  prescription  would  be  “ put  up  ” amctnha — to-mor- 
row. The  doctors  are  landed  proprietors.  They  practice 
medicine  merely  to  pass  the  time,  and  will  attend  you  if  they 
feel  in  the  mood.  The  prison  of  Queluz  was  on  the  principal 
street,  with  heavily  barred  windows,  where  the  prisoners  were 
not  only  talking  with  people  in  the  street,  but  from  which 
they  had  also  thrust  their  legs  and  arms.  Hot  only  do  the  sen- 
tries chat  with  the  prisoners,  giving  them  all  the  daily  gossip 
of  the  town,  but  they  even  play  cards  with  them,  the  bars  in- 
tervening between  the  two  parties  by  no  means  handicapping 
the  game.  There  are  many  lepers  in  Queluz.  The  prevalence 
of  the  disease  is  said  to  be  in  large  part  due  to  the  people  liv- 
ing almost  exclusively  upon  a diet  of  pork  and  corn-meal. 

The  next  day  I left  Lafayette  for  the  gold-mine  of  Morro 
Yelho,  about  eighty  miles  distant.  I took  a horse  and  two 
mules,  one  of  the  latter  for  my  guide  and  the  other  for  my 
baggage.  My  guide’s  name  was  Hippolyte,  but,  being  a very 
black  negro,  I doubt  if  he  was  a lineal  descendant  of  the 
Christian  theologian,  martyr,  and  saint  of  like  name.  He  was 
originally  a Brazilian  slave,  but  had  been  given  his  liberty 
some  ten  years  before  by  a kind-hearted  owmer.  He  was  a 
great,  burly,  good-natured  fellow,  and  proved  an  excellent 
servant.  He  wore  huge  spurs  strapped  to  his  bare  feet,  which 
had  to  me  a very  comical  appearance  at  first,  though  it  is  the 
custom  here ; and  he  rode,  moreover,  with  one  or  two,  but 
never  all,  his  toes  placed  in  the  stirrup.  The  road  was  about 
twenty  feet  in  width,  and  when  I say  that  I passed  a few 
light,  narrow  wagons,  with  great  wooden  wheels,  drawn  by 
eight  yoke  of  oxen,  the  reader  has  as  fair  an  idea  of  its  con- 
dition as  if  I added  that  in  places  the  mud  was  a foot  deep, 
and  that  the  road  extended  up  and  down  hill  at  angles  of 
thirty  degrees.  These  Brazilian  turn-outs  reminded  me  some- 


272  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMEBIC  A. 


what  of  the  great  Cape  Colony  wagons,  which,  with  their 
twenty  yoke  of  oxen  “ trek  ” away  into  the  distant  interior. 
The  country  was  of  the  same  general  character  as  that  already 
described  as  existing  from  Entre  Rios  to  Lafayette — a rough 
sea  of  hills  and  hillocks.  There  was  but  little  primitive  for- 
est, though  considerable  of  “ second-growth  ” timber,  and  not 
a little  fine  meadow-land.  Some  corn  was  cultivated,  though 
but  little  coffee.  The  land  seemed  sparsely  settled.  Never- 
theless, I encountered  a goodly  number  of  roadside  stores 
and  inns,  and  two  or  three  somewhat  pretentious  hotels. 
Only  one  small  village  was  seen.  We  passed  many  mule- 
troops — generally  about  half  a dozen  animals  in  a troop — 
loaded  with  cofiee.  These  were  coming  down-country,  though 
in  going  up  they  carried  multifarious  household  merchandise. 
The  loads  of  the  mules  were  neatly  roofed  with  great  hides  — 
an  effectual  water-proof  covering.  Most  of  the  animals  wore 
little  baskets  over  their  mouths,  the  object  of  course  being  to 
prevent  their  stopping  to  graze  by  the  roadside.  The  lead- 
ing mule  bore  a bell,  whose  tinkling  the  others  were  supposed 
to  follow  as  willingly  as  sheep  their  bell-wether ; but  the 
mules  here  as  elsewhere  require  constant  prodding,  so  defect- 
ive is  their  memory.  The  muleteers  sing  also  quaint  songs, 
rather  to  encourage  the  mules  than  to  amuse  themselves.  In 
like  manner  the  cart-drivers  have  a method — and  a very  dis- 
agreeable one — of  making  music  for  their  oxen  by  putting 
charcoal  on  the  axles  of  their  carts,  which  makes  them  squeak 
in  the  most  excruciating  manner.  You  can  tell  their  approach 
a mile  off.  The  mule-troops  were  always  attended  by  a 
couple  of  negroes — one  mounted,  one  on  foot — clothed  only 
in  hat,  shirt,  and  trousers.  All  removed  their  hats,  and  sa- 
luted me  in  a very  respectful  manner.  There  were  but  few 
carts,  probably  on  account  of  the  wretched  condition  of  the 
roads.  We  were  hardly  able  to  exceed  a walk  at  any  time 
during  the  day.  The  rivers  are  crossed  by  good  wooden 
bridges ; the  brooks  are  forded.  The  horses  of  a few  Brazil- 
ian ladies  and  gentlemen  ambled  past — the  ladies  with  long, 
flowing  habits  and  kid  gloves,  the  gentlemen  in  white  duck 


A TRIP  TO  MORRO  YELEO. 


273 


suits  and  straw  hats.  With  one  party  a two-mule  litter  car- 
ried the  baby,  nurse,  and  smaller  children.  The  little  native 
grog-shops,  of  which  there  were  many,  seemed  well  patron- 
ized. They  contained  sugar-cane  brandy,  domestic  and  im- 
ported beer,  sweet  drinks,  cigarettes,  etc.  At  Ouro  Branco 
I stopped  for  lunch  at  one  of  the  small  hotels.  It  was  not 
provided  with  chairs,  at  least  not  in  the  sitting-room,  which 
had,  however,  a sofa  and  a bed.  A high  gate  at  the  door 
effectually  prevented  chickens  from  walking  in  and  babies 
from  walking  out. 

Leaving  this  village  the  road  skirted  a low  range  of  grass- 
covered  hills  for  some  distance  to  the  eastward,  gradually 
mounting  them,  and  turning  to  the  right  for  Ouro  Preto, 
and  the  left  for  Morro  Yelho.  We  followed  along  this  ridge 
for  some  distance,  having  everywhere  magnificent  views  of 
the  billowy  land,  until  a terrific  thunder-storm  coming  sud- 
denly up  shut  out  the  horizon  on  every  side.  The  lightning 
was  really  frightful.  You  had  to  shut  your  eyes  after  a 
flash,  and  then  slowly  open  them  in  order  to  see  the  road, 
while  the  thunder  fairly  shook  the  ground  under  one’s  feet. 
I rode  directly  through  a great  black  cloud,  the  electric  flame 
almost  singeing  my  mustache,  and  a firm  conviction  taking 
possession  of  me  that  the  very  next  stroke  would  put  an  eter- 
nal quietus  upon  at  least  one  inquisitive  wanderer.  The  rain 
fell  in  such  torrents  as  to  actually  make  my  shoulders  and  back 
sore.  Not  until  sundown  did  it  cease,  and  by  that  time  I 
had  reached  an  exceedingly  primitive  inn  for  dinner  and 
sleep.  I fought  my  way  through  the  pigs  and  chickens  in 
the  front  room,  and  found  a reed-covered  bedstead  in  a rear 
room.  The  only  other  furniture  in  the  house  was  a table. 
The  ceiling  was  of  plaited  bamboos,  the  floor  of  mud.  On 
my  way  out  to  look  for  some  drinking-water,  my  passage 
was  disputed  by  a horse  eating  a few  grains  off  the  floor  of 
the  sitting — no,  standing-room.  Water  for  washing  was 
brought  me  in  an  old  soup-tureen,  with  a piece  of  a curtain 
for  a towel.  This  was  a specimen  of  a Brazilian  pousada , or 
wayside-inn.  And  yet,  with  all  this  barbarism,  the  bed-linen 
18 


274  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

as  in  Ecuador  and  the  Argentine  Republic,  was  bordered 
with  lace  and  fancy  knitted-work ! My  pillow  was  round, 
like  a Lyons  sausage,  and  just  about  as  large  and  as  hard. 
The  road  hither,  as  might  be  imagined  from  the  extreme 
irregularity  of  the  country,  had  been  very  tortuous.  Some- 
times also  it  passed  through  cuttings— not  made  by  man,  but 
by  water — the  top  of  which,  just  the  width  of  a cart,  was  ten 
feet  above  your  head  as  you  rode  along  on  horseback.  The 
carts  in  some  places  had  wTorn  ruts  in  the  rock  quite  a foot  in 
depth.  I noticed  a number  of  gold-diggings  and  washings, 
mostly  made  by  the  old  Portuguese  miners,  and  many  land- 
slides or  land-sinkings,  great  cracks  in  the  earth  caused  by 
the  rains,  the  soil  everywhere  appearing  of  a bright-red  color. 
Many  of  the  neighboring  hills  had  curious  exposed  rock 
formations.  Indeed,  the  whole  region  possesses  great  interest 
for  a geologist.  My  dinner  was  fairly  good.  Boilded  man- 
dioc-farina  took  the  place  of  bread.  The  native  beer  was 
quite  palatable,  not  unlike  certain  light  German  beers.  The 
good  people  were  not  able  to  provide  me  with  a knife, 
and*so  I had  to  bite  from  a large  piece  as  best  I might.  At 
night  the  muleteers  gathered  in  groups  about  little  fires,  and 
sang  love-songs,  with  the  customary  fandango  touch  with 
which  we  are  familiar.  They  accompanied  themselves  on  a 
sort  of  guitar,  called  here  a viola.  Doubtless  the  novel  sur- 
roundings of  a moonlight  night  in  the  interior  of  tropical 
Brazil  made  this  entertainment  especially  interesting  to  me. 

Starting  at  six  the  next  morning  we  passed  through  a 
country  of  pasture  and  forest.  The  hills  were  grassed  and 
bare  of  trees,  while  the  banks  of  the  streams  were  thickly 
wooded.  The  excavations  made  by  the  old  miners  continued 
a striking  and  picturesque  feature  of  the  landscape.  Their 
general  tint  was  a bright  brick-red,  with  variously  shaded 
mineral  streaks,  and  sometimes  the  banks  of  the  hollows 
glistened  with  all  the  colors  of  the  rainbow.  The  rain  has 
washed  and  the  wind  has  worn  the  great  cavities  into  very 
fantastic  shapes.  Sometimes  they  are  full  of  ridges,  sharp  as 
a knife ; sometimes  they  are  crowded  with  little  pinnacles, 


A TRIP  TO  MORRO  VELEO. 


275 


each,  of  a different  color ; then  again  they  are  fashioned  into 
a series  of  terraces  and  towers  innumerable.  As  I rode  along, 
the  hill-side  croppings,  the  bed  of  the  road,  and  the  banks  of 
the  streams  all  showed  a sufficient  variety  of  rocks  and  min- 
erals to  stock  a cabinet.  I halted  for  breakfast  at  a better 
sort  of  inn  than  that  of  the  previous  night.  It  was  in  the 
town  of  Caxones,  a pretty  little  place  lying  along  the  low 
ridges  of  a valley,  through  which  ran  a river  crossed  by  a 
wooden  bridge.  Many  of  the  houses  in  this  town  were  two 
stories  in  height,  and  a large  and  rather  imposing  church 
crowned  a central  hillock.  In  the  course  of  the  afternoon  I 
passed  through  several  villages.  These  usually  consisted  of 
a long,  straggling  street,  with  a double-towered  church  at  one 
end  and  a chapel  and  cemetery  at  the  other.  The  church 
seemed  always  to  be  placed  upon  high  ground,  easily  to  be 
seen  from  all  parts  of  the  village  and  environs.  Upon  a 
number  of  hill-tops  were  small  chapels,  with  great  wooden 
crosses  at  their  sides.  The  latter  were  painted  black  and 
covered  with  a most  extraordinary  assortment  of  ecclesiastical 
emblems.  Among  them  I noticed  a rooster,  probably  in 
honor  of  St.  Peter,  a sword,  a pitcher  and  wash-basin,  skull 
and  cross-bones,  hammer  and  tongs,  mingled  with  the  wine- 
cup,  sponge,  spear,  ladder,  and  other  symbols  of  the  cruci- 
fixion. At  intervals  along  the  roadside  were  small  wooden 
crosses,  some  of  them  nearly  covered  with  pretty  flowering 
vines,  and  surrounded  by  neat  palings.  The  muleteers 
gravely  doffed  their  hats  at  each.  But  the  frequent  occur- 
rence of  these  crosses  is,  to  a visitor,  extremely  disheartening, 
for  at  each  of  them,  it  is  said,  some  one  died  from  sudden 
illness,  or  was  murdered.  The  views  during  the  afternoon 
embraced  two  thirds  of  the  horizon.  The  road  seems  to  keep 
upon  the  ridges  where  possible.  At  other  times  it  winds 
high  up  the  mountain-sides,  so  that  nearly  all  the  while  you 
have  charming  visions  of  dome-shaped  hillocks,  of  undulating 
pastures,  of  blue  and  distant  ranges,  of  valleys  filled  with 
darkly  graceful  trees,  and  of  pretty  little  villages,  whose 
white  walls  gleam  amid  the  all-engulfing  green. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


DOWN  THE  GREAT  GOLD-MINE. 

We  stopped  for  our  noon  breakfast,  the  next  day,  at  the 
village  of  San  Antonio  on  the  Rio  das  Velhas.  During  the 
morning  we  had  passed  a peak,  to  the  west,  of  nearly  a mile 
in  height.  All  the  afternoon  the  range  of  hills  called  the 
Serra  da  Piedade,  of  about  the  same  height,  loomed  before 
us  to  the  northwest.  Morro  Y elho  is  at  the  extreme  north- 
eastern end  of  this  range.  We  finally  ascended  a sharp 
ridge,  from  the  top  of  which  we  saw  the  village  of  Congon- 
has  straggling  along  the  road  for  a mile  or  so  at  our  feet. 
The  descent  to  this  valley  was  very  precipitous.  Congonhas 
seemed  to  be  a hamlet  rather  above  the  average.  In  the 
Grand  Plaza  I even  noticed  the  word  “ Teatro  ” on  a small 
single-story  edifice.  The  cathedral  contains  a very  remarka- 
ble series  of  old  carved  wooden  statuary,  cleverly  arranged 
in  historical  tableaux,  which  illustrate  scenes  in  the  life  of 
Christ  and  the  apostles,  and  an  engraved  specimen  of  which 
I am  fortunately  able  to  show  the  reader. 

Passing  through  Congonhas,  yon  ascend  another  sharp 
ridge,  and  find  just  beyond  it  the  village  and  mine  of  Morro 
Yelho.  The  clatter  of  the  mills  is  heard  a long  way  off. 
The  opening  to  the  mine,  the  stamping  and  other  works,  and 
the  dwellings  of  the  miners,  are  crowded  into  a circlet  of 
the  hills.  Dismounting  at  the  general  offices,  I enter  the 
private  grounds  of  the  San  Juan  del  Rey  Mining  Company, 
and  am  received  with  open-armed  hospitality  by  Mr.  George 
Chalmers,  the  superintendent,  in  a large  old-fashioned  resi- 
dence, built  by  the  Portuguese  miners  more  than  a hundred 


♦ 


Tf  ooden  Images  in  a Church  at  Congonlias „ 


DOWN  TEE  GREAT  GOLD-MINE. 


277 


years  ago.  It  is  a very  comfortable  single-story  house,  fitted 
with  every  luxury  of  a high-class  English  home.  The  sit- 
ting-room and  parlors  are  full  of  natural  history  collections, 
among  them  the  skins  of  many  animals  shot  by  the  superin- 
tendent, who  is  a devoted  sportsman  and  collector.  One  stand 
contains  a splendid  lot  of  crystals  with  magnetic  pyrites. 
The  baths  are  supplied  with  cool  spring  water,  which  con- 
stantly flows  through  them.  In  one  room  is  a fine  large  bill- 
iard-table. The  lawn  is  marked  for  tennis,  while  in  a little 
octagonal  pavilion  near  by  is  an  excellent  library  of  books, 
with  a large  table,  covered  with  magazines  and  other  peri- 
odicals, and  well  supplied  with  writing  materials.  A broad 
piazza  extends  around  the  house,  and  affords  interesting 
views  of  the  neighboring  hills.  Rare  orchids,  in  endless  pro- 
fusion, border  the  piazza,  while  a pretty  inner  court-yard  is 
laid  out  with  fruit-trees,  flowers,  and  gravel  walks.  There 
are  commodious  stables  and  poultry-yards.  A small  men- 
agerie of  wild  dogs,  pigs,  monkeys,  deer,  etc.,  would  prove 
of  interest  to  a naturalist,  and  of  interest  to  every  one  would 
be  the  very  intelligent  Scotch  terrier  u Charlie.”  The  mine, 
through  bad  management,  had  been  running  down  very  rap- 
idly, when,  about  a year  before  my  visit,  Mr.  Chalmers  came 
out  from  England  and  took  charge  of  it.  Changes  were  at 
once  initiated  in  all  the  departments,  savings  were  made  in 
old  methods,  new  ones  were  introduced,  and  the  mine  and 
works  were  quickly  developed  and  brought  into  a paying 
condition.  Mr.  Chalmers  is  a very  young  man — but  thirty- 
three — for  such  a responsible  position,  but  he  has  already 
proved  himself  just  the  person  for  the  place.  From  six 
o’clock  in  the  morning  until  ten  at  night  he  makes  the  rounds 
of  the  different  divisions.  He  is  ubiquitous,  and  his  energy 
is  untiring. 

A very  remarkable  and  interesting  experience  was  my  de- 
scent into  the  mine.  At  one  of  the  neighboring  offices  some 
miners’  clothes  were  given  me.  Especially  useful  as  a shield 
against  falling  stones  was  a hat  made  of  very  stout  felt.  To 
the  front  of  this  a candle  was  stuck  with  a small  lump  of  soft 


278  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 

clay.  Two  iron  cages,  or  cars,  were  rnn  witli  wire  ropes,  by 
water-power,  and  filled  a vertical  shaft,  bored,  after  the  first 
hundred  feet  or  so,  in  the  solid  rock,  to  a depth  of  fourteen 
hundred  and  fifty  feet.  One  car  ascends  while  the  other  de- 
scends, carrying  the  miners,  or  at  other  times  the  gold-rock, 
in  little  iron  cars,  which  are  run  in  and  out  upon  rails.  Mr. 
Chalmers,  the  captain  of  the  mine,  and  a boy  with  a bag  of 
candles  and  a bundle  of  oiled  rags,  with  which  to  illuminate 
special  parts  of  the  excavation,  accompany  me.  From  the 
bottom  of  the  shaft  the  main  gallery,  with  double  track  for 
the  cars,  runs  ofi  to  near  the  present  end  of  the  mine,  but 
several  hundred  feet  above  it.  Here  there  is  a small  steam- 
engine,  which  is  used  to  raise  the  ore  in  a great  iron  bucket 
from  one  of  the  platforms  where  the  men  are  at  work.  Hot 
far  from  a point  where  the  gallery  branches  from  the  shaft, 
is  the  original  starting  of  the  drift  by  the  present  English 
company,  the  lode  running  toward  the  east  at  an  angle  of 
forty-five  degrees.  This  drift  descends  several  hundred  feet 
to  a large  level  space,  then  there  is  an  abrupt  descent  of  per- 
haps fifty  feet,  and  another  great  level,  another  descent  of 
fifty  feet,  and  then  a smaller  level,  and  you  arrive  at  the  ex- 
treme bottom  of  the  mine.  Let  me  now  go  back  and  follow 
our  footsteps  as  we  made  the  circuit.  We  had  reached  the 
end  of  the  main  gallery,  and  stood  upon  some  very  heavy 
wooden  flooring.  There  was  nothing  between  us  and  the 
bottom  of  the  mine,  some  four  hundred  feet  below,  save  the 
several  landing-stages.  On  one  side  was  the  rod  of  the  huge 
pump,  slowly,  almost  noiselessly  at  work.  In  the  center  was 
an  opening  where  the  ore-bucket  was  drawn  up  an  inclined 
plane.  On  the  other  side  was  a round  dark  hole  where  we 
began  a further  descent  upon  long,  narrow  ladders,  which 
dipped  at  a very  slight  angle — indeed,  seemed  nearly  horizon- 
tal part  of  the  time.  The  ladders  being  slippery,  and  not 
backed  by  planking,  you  could  occasionally  catch  glimpses, 
through  the  rungs,  of  passing  lights,  and  of  men  at  work 
many  hundred  feet  below.  The  experience  was  depressing, 
nor  did  the  continual  caution  not  to  look  down  exhilarate  us. 


DOWN  TEE  GREAT  GOLD-MINE. 


279 


We  descended  innumerable  ladders  of  interminable  length. 
The  roofs  and  sides  of  the  mine  were  everywhere  supported 
by  the  hardest  woods  of  Brazil.  Two  feet  square  was  the 
average  thickness  of  these  timbers,  though  I occasionally  saw 
them  as  much  as  three  feet  square.  At  the  bottom,  such  of 
the  roof  as  I could  see,  seemed  supported  by  great  wooden 
columns,  between  which  was  a solid  backing  of  heavy  plank- 
ing. Then  some  twenty  feet  below  this  was  a row  of  enor- 
mous logs,  placed  at  about  fifteen  feet  apart.  On  our  way 
down  the  ladders,  at  every  landing  we  saw  men  at  work, 
some  putting  in  new  timbers — for  sometimes  these  rot  quick- 
ly— others  bracing  old  ones,  or  mending  some  of  the  hauling- 
gear.  Each  gang  of  men  had  an  English  boss.  From  the 
last  stage  the  bottom  of  the  mine  is  reached  by  a long  wire- 
rope  ladder,  loosely  hung  against  the  perpendicular  wall.  It 
is  necessary  to  have  a ladder  of  this  kind,  for  the  frequent 
blasts  would  soon  destroy  a wooden  one.  The  lode,  at  the 
end,  two  thousand  feet  below  the  surface,  is  about  fifty  feet 
in  width,  and  so  rich  that  the  dark  gray  stone  fairly  glistens 
in  the  light  of  the  miners’  candles.  Comparatively  little 
water  is  in  the  mine,  the  pump  drawing  from  a shallow  pool 
through  a long  canvas  tube.  As  fast  as  the  gallery  advances 
the  huge  timbers  are  placed  just  below  the  roof,  across  it. 
It  seems  wonderful  how  the  men  can  get  a tree-trunk  three 
feet  square,  and  nearly  a hundred  feet  in  length,  into  such 
seemingly  inaccessible  positions.  It  is  done  by  means  of 
great  chains  and  the  assistance  of  the  steam-engine  previous- 
ly mentioned. 

All  through  the  mine  the  visitor  is  startled  and  alarmed 
by  a variety  of  continuous  rumblings  and  reverberations. 
The  calls  of  the  men  to  each  other  and  the  commands  of 
the  bosses  have  also  an  ominous  sound.  These  goblin  noises, 
penetrating  through  the  murky  darkness,  combine  with  the 
miners’  lights,  which  dart  about  like  so  many  vicious  jack 
o’lantems,  to  surround  one  with  a pandemonium.  The  air, 
however,  is  everywhere  remarkably  pure,  a pleasantly  disil- 
lusioning fact,  rather  unusual,  as  no  fresh  air  is  forced  down 


280  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


from  above.  At  the  end  of  the  drift  I found  about  a dozen 
men  drilling  holes  in  the  ore-prodncing  mineral  vein,  and 
another  dozen  engaged  in  putting  in  new  timbers.  From 
here  you  can  look  straight  up,  along  some  thousands  of  feet, 
to  the  beginning  of  the  drift — over  the  two  platforms,  and 
above,  to  the  roof,  four  hundred  feet  distant.  The  width 
varies  from  fifty  to  a hundred  feet.  It  is  a most  wonderful, 
awe-inspiring  cavity.  No  other  mine  in  the  world  can  boast 
of  a greater.  Boys  with  torches  were  sent  to  different  points 
along  the  excavation,  so  that  we  could  easily  get  an  idea  of 
its  vast  proportions,  while  the  lights  of  men  at  work  above 
indicated  the  distance  of  the  roof.  Clambering  up  the  first 
incline,  we  found  about  fifty  men  engaged  in  drilling  and 
loading  the  bucket  with  the  ore.  They  were  singing  a wild 
refrain,  keeping  good  time  wdth  the  heavy  blows  of  their 
sledges.  Their  naked  bodies  showed  superb  muscular  de- 
velopment. They  paused  for  a moment  to  salute  our  party 
with  a double  “Viva!”  and  then  the  banging,  clanging, 
and  strange  though  not  unmusical  singing,  continued.  What 
a grim  picture  it  all  made ! I remember  some  of  Dore’s 
illustrations  of  Dante  which  might  be  exactly  duplicated 
here;  while  the  uncouth  cries,  oaths,  blows,  and  rumbles, 
might  with  but  little  stretch  of  the  imagination  be  thought 
fit  for  “the  high  capital  of  Satan  and  his  peers.5’  While 
watching  the  men,  and  standing  upon  the  next  higher  plat- 
form, noises  like  distant  but  heavy  thunder  would  occasion- 
ally be  heard.  These,  they  told  me,  were  blasts  in  remote 
and  smaller  galleries.  Dynamite  is  used  for  these  blasts, 
seventy-five  pounds  a day  being  required.  The  men  at  the 
end  of  our  gallery  next  fired  seventeen  charges,  as  we  all 
stood  under  what  is  regarded  as  the  strongest  wall,  for  fear 
of  possible  stone-flakes  falling,  though  the  drifts  are  blasted 
and  cleared  so  effectually  that  there  is  but  very  little  danger. 
The  various  reports  of  the  exploding  charges  were  appall- 
ing. The  successive  waves  of  air  struck  us  with  powerful 
force.  After  the  sharp  crash,  as  of  the  heaviest  artillery, 
the  ground  would  shake  violently  beneath  our  feet,  while  the 


DOWN  THE  GREAT  GOLD-MINE. 


281 


whole  mine  appeared  to  be  rocking  and  tumbling  for  some 
seconds.  The  reverberating  echoes  were  especially  sonorous. 
One  particularly  thunderous  discharge  answered  for  a parting 
salute,  and,  after  four  hours  passed  in  inspection,  we  proposed 
to  ascend  by  the  forty-five-degree  incline.  A wire  cable  is 
attached  to  the  top  of  a platform  some  hundred  feet  or 
so  above.  Straddling  this  cable,  and  seizing  it  with  both 
hands,  you  walk  along,  pulling  yourself  slowly  up  the  cliff. 
Arrived  here,  you  take  to  the  ladders,  all  of  them  steep, 
some  of  them  nearly  vertical.  You  finally  reach  the  gallery 
that  is  on  a level  with  the  bottom  of  the  shaft,  to  which  you 
walk.  Here  was  assembled  quite  a crowd  of  miners,  who 
gave  us  another  “ Viva  ! ” In  going  up  to  the  surface  the 
negroes  in  the  car  entertained  us  with  some  more  of  their  half- 
barbaric  songs.  The  miners  seemed  a contented,  jovial  set. 
They  looked,  too,  quite  robust,  though  that  scourge  of  most 
miners,  consumption,  decimates  them  here  as  elsewhere.  I 
had  found  the  mine  cool  and  pleasant,  although  our  climbing 
exertions  produced  very  free  perspiration.  Arrived  at  the 
surface,  however,  the  warm,  muggy  air  quite  took  away  our 
remaining  strength,  and  we  were  very  glad,  after  dinner,  to 
indulge  in  a lengthy  siesta. 

One  evening  Mr.  Chalmers  had  the  colored  jDeople  come 
up  to  the  “ Casa  Grande,”  the  manor,  to  entertain  us  with 
some  of  their  music,  dancing,  and  games.  About  half  of 
them  were  slaves,  though  only  hired  by  the  company,  not 
belonging  to  it.  They  were  all  dressed  in  their  smartest. 
The  musical  instruments  they  brought  were  two  guitars,  a 
flageolet,  triangle,  bells,  and  a tom-tom,  like  those  used  in 
western  Africa,  to  whose  accompaniment  they  sang,  some- 
times with  a solo  and  chorus,  sometimes  all  in  concert.  The 
dances  were  very  amusing.  In  one  of  them  the  men  occu- 
pied one  half  of  a circle,  and  the  women  the  other.  A 
woman  would  then  jump  about  and  twirl  around  in  the 
center  of  the  ring,  and  suddenly  stop  in  front  of  some  man, 
or  more  likely  run  up  against  him,  and  then  return  to  her 
place.  This  was  regarded  as  a sort  of  challenge  by  the  man, 


282  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


who  would  at  once  leave  the  circle  and  go  through  a similar 
performance,  halting  in  front  of  some  woman.  The  latter 
would  repeat  the  performance,  and  so  on,  alternately.  This 
odd  proceeding  constituted  the  whole  of  the  dance.  But 
the  performers  were  all  enthusiasm  and  excitement,  and 
skipped  about  so  energetically  that  I was  afraid  some  of  them 
would  get  injured.  In  fact,  such  is  occasionally  the  case. 
A crowd  of  a hundred  or  more  were  looking  on,  some  clap- 
ping hands  to  the  rhythm  of  the  music,  and  all  greatly  inter- 
ested and  amused.  The  music,  singing,  clapping,  laughing, 
and  shouting  made  a fearful  hubbub.  Frequently  one  of  the 
musicians,  instrument  in  hand,  would  enter  the  arena  and 
dance  as  wildly  as  any  of  the  others,  without  ceasing  his 
playing  for  an  instant.  A favorite  and  diverting  game  was 
“ baiting  the  bull.”  A very  good  imitation  of  a bull’s  head 
had  been  made  from  an  actual  head  of  bone  covered  with 
cloth.  A man  imitated  a bull  by  secreting  himself  in  the 
skin  of  one  of  these  animals,  and  supported  the  artificial  head 
in  proper  position.  This  “ make-believe  ” bull  was  then  led 
in  by  two  men,  fantastically  dressed,  and  wearing  masks, 
who  capered  around  the  improvised  animal  without  ceasing. 
The  crowd  followed  the  bull  about  the  lawn,  playing,  sing- 
ing, and  dancing,-  as  merry  as  children.  Occasionally  the  bull 
would  walk  around  in  a circle,  clearing  a larger  space  for  him- 
self. All  his  movements  were  those  of  the  genuine  animal. 
Sometimes,  with  head  down  and  slightly  swinging  from  side 
to  side,  he  would  make  a charge  straight  into  the  crowd, 
knocking  men  and  boys  “ head  over  heels,”  and  causing  the 
women  and  girls  to  run  and  scream  as  only  women  and  girls 
can  on  such  occasions.  The  performance  was  continued  for 
some  time,  and  appeared  to  afford  the  colored  people  as  much 
amusement  as  it  did  ourselves.  At  the  finish  the  crowd  all 
marched  away,  following  the  music  and  still  dancing.  It  was 
a vivid  reminiscence  of  western  Africa.  These  slaves  per- 
petuate not  only  their  original  habits  and  customs,  but  their 
languages,  which  they  frequently  talk  among  themselves, 
though,  when  they  learn  Portuguese,  they  are  apt  to  forget 


DOWN  TEE  GREAT  GOLD-MINE. 


283 


their  vernacular.  They  are  contented,  peaceable,  happy 
people,  and  the  men  who  work  in  the  mine  are  faithful  and 
honest. 

The  clatter  of  the  mills  is  heard  night  and  day,  Sundays 
and  holidays,  week  in  and  week  out.  The  mining  works 
were  all  shown  me  by  the  obliging  superintendent,  Mr. 
Chalmers.  A general  view  of  the  place  brings  into  promi- 
nence a huge  water-course  and  iron  siphon  coming  down  a 
hill  to  the  extreme  left,  or  west.  The  driving  power  is  water, 
introduced  in  flumes,  and  this  one  is  seven  miles  in  length. 
Then  you  see,  at  the  north,  the  quarter  where  the  married 
slaves  reside,  and,  some  distance  above  it  upon  the  hill-side, 
the  abode  of  the  bachelor  miners,  appropriately  styled  “ Tim- 
buctoo.”  The  English  miners  live  at  some  distance  in  the 
opposite  direction.  The  stamping  - mills,  with  their  rock- 
crushers  and  the  strakes,  are  in  the  center,  tucked  into  a lit- 
tle valley ; nearer  are  the  huge  mill-wheels,  sixty  feet  in 
diameter,  one  of  which  furnishes  the  power  for  working  the 
pump.  Farther  to  the  right  is  the  negro  church,  and  below 
it,  some  distance,  the  reduction  and  amalgamation  works. 
Still  farther  on,  to  the  right,  up  on  the  hill,  is  the  little  Eng- 
lish cemetery,  and  below  it  are  the  neat  cottages  of  the  store- 
keeper and  doctor,  and,  still  lower  down,  the  hospital.  The 
great  store-house  of  the  company  covers  the  hillock  to  the 
south  of  the  casa  grande.  Here  are  collections  of  every- 
thing likely  to  be  needed  in  the  works  or  mine,  from  candles 
to  machinery.  By-the-by,  eight  gross  of  candles  are  every 
day  used  in  the  mine.  The  upper  story  of  the  store-house  is 
filled  with  corn  and  beans  for  the  consumption  of  the  miners. 
Here  also  is  an  apartment  which,  on  certain  occasions,  is  im- 
provised as  a ball-room,  and  a smaller  one  adjoining  is  utilized 
for  the  serving  of  supper.  The  mine  keeps  busy  five  great 
stamping-mills,  one  of  them  being  like  those  I have  seen  in 
California.  The  others  are  huge,  clumsy  affairs,  though  an- 
swering their  purpose  very  well.  I followed  all  the  various 
processes  of  the  works,  from  where  the  rough  ore  leaves  the 
shaft’s  mouth,  until  I saw  the  gold  bars  ready  for  transport 


284  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


to  Rio  and  shipment  to  England.  It  is  not  necessary  to  de- 
tail here  all  this  series  of  operations,  which,  though  simple 
in  theory,  require  careful  and  accurate  attention  in  practice. 
The  rock  of  the  mine  is  a clay  slate,  not  remarkably  hard, 
but  the  gold,  though  richly  abounding,  is  in  extremely  fine 
particles ; or,  to  be  more  exactly  scientific,  the  gold  is  found 
associated  with  arsenical  and  sulphur  pyrites  in  a vein  trav- 
ersing clay  slate.  Employed  in  excavating  and  hauling  the 
mineral,  and  timbering  the  mine,  are  some  four  hundred 
men,  the  nationalities  embracing  English,  Brazilians,  Portu- 
guese, Italians,  Germans,  Austrians,  Spanish,  and  Chinese.  In 
the  works  are  employed  sixty  Chinese,  seventy-five  English, 
and  nearly  one  thousand  natives.  Many  native  women  are 
occupied  with  the  lighter  work,  as  at  the  strakes  and  in  the 
amalgamation-rooms.  Crushing,  grinding,  and  pulverizing, 
with  the  continued  use  of  running  water,  and  the  final  assist- 
ance of  quicksilver,  are  the  grand  methods  by  which  the  per- 
fect gold  is  separated  from  its  ore-stone.  Six  times  a year 
what  is  termed  the  “ gold  troop  ” carries  the  bars  of  gold  in 
one  of  the  ordinary  country  carts,  attended  by  only  two  or 
three  natives,  over  the  terrible  roads  of  Minas-Geraes,  down 
to  Lafayette  and  the  Dom  Pedro  II.  Railway,  whence  the 
precious  freight  is  quickly  carried  to  Rio.  It  is  a remarkable 
fact  that  no  escort  is  deemed  necessary  with  this  shipment, 
though  I noticed  that  Brazilian  travelers,  like  those  in  the 
Argentine  Republic,  wish  apparently  to  be  on  the  safe  side, 
for  they  all  carry  large  revolvers.  The  bars  weigh,  on  an  av- 
erage, eight  pounds  troy,  and  contain  about  one  half  per 
cent  silver.  They  have  to  be  remelted  in  England,  for  purifi- 
cation, before  being  marketable,  and  are  then  worth  about 
three  thousand  dollars.  The  present  company,  which  has 
been  working  the  mine  for  nearly  sixty  years,  have  taken  out 
as  much  as  three  thousand  pounds  troy  in  what  they  term  a 
“ good  year.” 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


ON  THE  RIO  DAS  VELHAS. 

During  my  visit  at  Morro  Velho  a small  steamer  belong- 
ing to  the  mining  company  was  to  go  about  one  hundred 
miles  down  the  Rio  das  Velhas,  an  affluent  of  the  great  San 
Francisco  River,  to  a place  called  Jaguara,  to  obtain  a cargo 
of  timber  for  use  in.  the  shoring  of  the  mine,  and  by  courtesy 
of  Mr.  Chalmers  I became  the  sole  passenger.  My  kind  host 
accompanied  me  to  the  town  of  Sahara,  eight  miles  from 
Morro  Velho,  where  the  little  steamer  was  lying.  It  was 
just  after  a rain-storm,  and  all  the  shallow  hollows  in  the  road 
glistened  with  minute  particles  of  gold.  The  sand  of  most 
of  the  brooks,  too,  contained  sufficient  gold  to  pay  for  wash- 
ing, while  many  of  the  rocks  were  composed  of  eighty-five 
per  cent  of  iron.  The  steamer  I found  to  be  a small,  paddle- 
wheel  craft,  about  fifty  feet  long,  and  ten  feet  wide.  Di- 
rectly in  the  bow  was  a bench,  covered  with  an  awning,  an 
admirable  place  to  sit  and  see  everything.  Then  came  the 
galley,  next  the  engine  and  boiler,  and  then  a long  cabin,  and 
space  for  freight.  The  steamer  itself,  however,  was  not 
intended  either  for  freight  or  passengers,  but  to  tow  an  iron 
barge,  of  about  thirty  feet  in  length,  and  laden  with  logs  and 
sawed  timber.  The  steamer  was  under  the  command  of  an 
Englishman  as  chief  engineer;  then  there  were  a native 
pilot,  who  had  been  fifteen  years  upon  the  river,  a fireman, 
a cook,  and  three  sailors.  The  steamer  and  the  barge  were 
built  wholly  of  iron,  some  twenty  years  ago,  at  Jaguara,  by  a 
Frenchman,  originally  to  bring  proper  lumber  with  which  to 
build  abridge  across  the  river  at  Sahara — a fine  structure  and, 


286  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


thanks  to  the  durable  wood  of  the  country,  in  good  condition 
to-day.  Sahara  is  a very  picturesqne-looking  town,  situated  on 
a steep  but  low  hill  upon  the  bank  of  the  river.  From  a dis- 
tance one  sees  the  customary  two  churches,  at  opposite  sides 
of  the  town,  and  among  the  majority  of  one-story  houses  a 
few  of  two  stories,  all  with  glistening  white  walls,  set  off  by 
dark-green  foliage  of  many  kinds.  Sahara  is  located  at  what 
may  be  called  the  extreme  head  of  light-draught  navigation, 
for  steamers  drawing  more  than  fifteen  inches  must  stop  a 
hundred  miles  below.  It  is  to  be  a station  on  the  Dom 
Pedro  II.  Pailway. 

We  started  about  midday.  The  river  was  of  a muddy- 
brown  character,  shallow,  about  three  hundred  feet  in  width, 
and  with  a five-knot  current.  It  rises  in  the  rainy  season 
quite  twenty  feet  above  its  winter  level.  But  it  is  full  of 
bends,  and  right  angles,  and  curves  which  nearly  complete  a 
circle,  and  around  which  it  was  often  difficult  to  pass.  Al- 
though we  drew  but  fifteen  inches  of  water,  yet  we  fre- 
quently ran  aground,  and  had  to  be  slowly  poled  off.  Some- 
times we  grounded  at  one  end,  and  would  spin  quickly 
around  and  go  down-stream,  stern  foremost,  until  another 
grounding  would  turn  us  again  prow  downward.  The  banks 
were  about  five  hundred  feet  in  height,  covered  with  either 
virgin  or  second-growth  forest,  and  occasionally  cleared  and 
planted  with  maize,  mandioc,  coffee,  and  sugar-cane.  Some- 
times farm-houses  were  seen,  and  late  in  the  afternoon,  our 
speed  having  been  about  ten  knots  per  hour,  we  passed  the 
town  of  Santa  Luzia,  perched  upon  and  extending  along  a 
green  hill  running  back  from  the  river,  a fair  copy  of  Sahara, 
though  seeming  somewhat  larger.  At  Santa  Luzia  an  old 
rustic,  rickety  bridge  crosses  the  river,  which,  with  no  greater 
depth,  has  now  widened  to  about  five  hundred  feet.  From 
here  onward  the  country  became  more  open,  and  the  hills 
were  rather  lower.  Many  of  the  banks  in  the  river  were 
covered  with  sleek-looking  cattle  lying  in  the  sand,  partly  to 
save  themselves  from  the  attacks  of  insects  and  partly  to 
obtain  more  of  the  breeze.  Some  very  large  fish  are  caught 


ON  THE  RIO  HAS  VELHAS. 


287 


in  the  Rio  das  Velhas.  Mr.  Chalmers  has  in  his  parlor  a 
stuffed  specimen,  five  feet  in  length  and  proportionately 
broad,  which  came  from  the  section  below  Jaguara.  At 
night  we  stopped  at  a farm-house  which  had  a sugar-cane  dis- 
tillery— though  this  was  not  the  reason  we  stopped — and  many 
other  out-buildings.  J ust  before  mooring,  we  ran  aground 
and  swung  around  at  right  angles  to  the  course  of  the  river. 
At  this  juncture  the  men  stripped  themselves,  and,  jumping 
into  the  water,  pried  with  their  long  poles  against  the  bow 
and  stern  until  the  steamer  was  once  more  afloat,  when  we 
soon  arrived  at  our  stopping-place  for  the  night,  and  just 
before  a terrific  rain-storm  came  on.  We  were  quartered  in 
an  enormous  two-story  house,  whose  windows  contained  each 
forty-eight  panes  of  glass — not  on  account  of  the  largeness  of 
the  windows,  but  on  account  of  the  smallness  of  the  panes. 
The  people  owned  about  a dozen  slaves,  who  at  the  time  of  our 
arrival,  at  nine  in  the  evening,  were  engaged  in  pounding 
corn,  singing  in  unison  the  while,  notwithstanding  the  day’s 
labor  had  lasted  so  long.  After  drinking  coffee  and  exchang- 
ing compliments  with  the  host  and  hostess  in  the  parlor,  I 
was  ushered  into  one  of  the  little  inner  unventilated  bed- 
rooms with  which  all  Brazilian  farm-houses  seem  to  abound. 
My  heart  sunk  within  me  as  I entered  this  dark  closet,  but 
rose  at  once  upon  catching  sight  of  mv  pillow,  exactly  eight 
inches  by  four  in  size,  but  covered  with  embossed  and  em- 
broided  birds  and  flowers  and  vines. 

We  started  about  six  o’clock  the  next  morning,  the  river 
being  extremely  tortuous  and  the  palm-leaf  tufts  very  beau- 
tiful, as  sharply  outlined  against  the  dense  forests.  The 
light  green  of  the  corn-fields  also  contrasted  prettily  with  the 
dark  green  of  the  woods.  There  were  many  large  trees  in 
full  bloom,  of  beautiful  colors.  The  navigation  now  became 
much  better,  and  we  boomed  along  at  a famous  rate,  the 
river  continuing  from  three  to  five  hundred  feet  in  width. 
There  was  much  fine  pasture  upon  the  higher  hills.  I no- 
ticed many  cords  attached  to  low  poles  near  the  banks. 
These  were  the  set  lines  used  by  the  people  for  fishing. 


288  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


They  employ  a live  bait,  a sort  of  minnow,  and  examine 
their  lines  twice  a day.  The  river  is  full  of  edible  fish. 
There  are  also  water-hogs,  but  no  alligators.  I saw  many 
canoes,  thirty  feet  in  length  and  only  two  in  width  and  two 
in  depth,  hollowed  from  a single  trunk  and  propelled  not  by 
oars  or  paddles,  the  men  sitting,  but  with  poles,  and  men 
standing.  There  were  many  small  mud  huts,  with  doors, 
but  without  windows,  the  smoke  escaping,  as  best  it  might, 
through  the  roof.  About  these  huts  were  generally  raised 
coffee,  sugar-cane,  tobacco,  beans,  bananas,  and  cotton.  Just 
enough  of  the  latter  is  grown  by  the  natives  to  make  their 
own  clothes,  cloth  for  which  the  women  weave  upon  a loom 
of  the  most  primitive  construction.  At  one  hut  where  I 
landed  was  an  automatic  corn-smasher,  or  rice-huller,  in  op- 
eration. Briefly,  the  machine  was  a long,  balanced  stick  of 
timber,  arranged  with  a sort  of  hammer  at  one  end,  and  with 
a large  hollow  for  holding  water  at  the  other.  The  water 
having  filled  the  hollow,  the  log  naturally  tilted,  spilling  the 
water,  causing  it  to  descend  and  the  hammer  to  strike  forci- 
bly the  corn  or  rice  placed  under  it  in  a mortar.  The  pro- 
cess was  slow  (which  does  not  matter  much  in  Brazil)  but 
labor-saving  (which  matters  very  much  in  Brazil).  The 
pounding  is  done  not  only  slowly  but  also  very  imperfectly, 
and  one  marvels  at  the  lazy  ingenuity  of  these  people,  where 
a little  honest  work  would  effect  so  much.  We  reached 
Jaguara  at  three  o’clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  made  fast  to 
the  bank,  next  to  an  old  side-wheel  steamer,  which,  after 
having  been  sunk  for  the  past  fifteen  years,  at  some  distance 
down  the  river,  had  just  been  raised,  and  was  being  refitted 
for  a freight-boat. 

Jaguara  is  simply  the  name  of  what  was  once  one  of  the 
largest  farms  in  Brazil.  It  was  sold  some  years  since,  and 
one  half  was  bought  for  its  timber  by  the  mining  company. 
The  English  engineer  of  the  steamer  and  his  family  take 
charge  of  the  place,  and  are  the  only  foreigners  living  in  the 
neighborhood.  All  the  buildings  necessary  to  a grand  estate 
are  here,  though  they  are  now  going  to  rack  and  ruin.  There 


ON  THE  EIO  HAS  VELHAS. 


289 


is  first  a large  manor-house,  then  the  superintendent’s,  priest’s, 
and  doctor’s  houses,  huts  for  the  slaves,  an  immense  sugar- 
mill,  and  all  the  customary  appliances  for  making  sugar  and 
rum,  implements  for  pounding  rice  and  corn,  machinery  for 
making  oil  from  the  castor-oil  plant,  a saw-mill,  huge  store- 
houses, a chemist’s  shop,  rooms  for  visitors,  a dance-hall,  sta- 
bles, pig-sties,  fowl-sheds,  etc.  I must  not  forget  to  men- 
tion the  church,  quite  a large  one.  It  is  in  a good  state  of 
preservation,  though  hearing  the  date  1786.  Some  of  the 
wooden  pillars  on  the  exterior,  after  a century  of  exposure, 
are  still  as  hard  as  rock.  The  church  contains  some  very 
good  carvings,  all  the  wood  being  of  a fineness  and  hardness 
akin  to  lignum-vitse.  The  subjects  of  both  paintings  and 
carvings  run  largely  to  cherubim  and  seraphim.  The  floor 
is  occupied  by  numbered  but  nameless  graves.  Bats  and 
owls  are  now  the  only  regular  attendants  at  service,  but  when 
decorated  and  illumined,  and  filled  with  senoritas  and  cava- 
liers in  their  quaint  country  costumes,  the  scene  must  have 
been  very  pretty.  Attached  to  the  church  are  the  customary 
school-room  and  robing-room,  the  robes  having  been  pre- 
served in  carved  bureaus  of  ponderous  plank.  The  wood- 
work of  the  manor-house  is  also  of  the  most  massive  charac- 
ter, and  frequently  carved.  A flight  of  stone  steps,  reaching 
one  of  the  doors,  has  in  it  solid  blocks  twenty  feet  in  length. 
The  ceilings  are  paneled  in  wood,  and  painted  in  neat  pat- 
terns of  gay  colors,  which  are  but  little  dimmed  through  age. 
On  the  ceiling  of  the  hall  is  blazoned  the  coat-of-arms  of  the 
former  owner.  The  roads  about  the  house  are  paved  with 
huge  cobble-stones.  There  are  two  large  orchards  full  of 
orange,  lemon,  guava,  lime,  and  other  fruit  trees.  A hand- 
some large  flower-garden  likewise  is  its  own  excuse  for 
being.  But  all  of  these  are  now  simply  a tangle  of  the  wild- 
est vegetation,  though  one  may  follow  some  of  the  old  paths 
and  see  what  they  must  have  been  when  in  their  prime. 
Hear  the  manor  are  the  quarters  of  the  slaves,  surrounded 
by  a wall  fifteen  feet  high  to  prevent  their  escape  at  night. 
This  rich  old  family  owned  several  hundred  slaves.  Their 
19 


290  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMD  RIO  A. 


quarters  were  like  those  already  visited  at  San  Paulo,  little 
pens  ten  feet  square,  more  suited  to  the  abode  of  animal  than 
human  beings.  The  family  rooms  were  separated  by  a parti- 
tion, with  an  opening,  but  no  door.  Sometimes  two  fami- 
lies were  placed  in  one  of  the  diminutive  rooms.  The  rooms 
occupied  by  the  unmarried  slaves  were  like  the  wards  of  a 
hospital,  on  a small  scale,  for  here  they  slept  in  rows  upon 
straw  pallets.  All  the  rooms  were  arranged  in  a quadrangle, 
with  but  one  gateway.  In  the  court-yard  here  the  English 
engineer  and  superintendent  showed  me  the  skin  of  a great 
boa  which  he  had  killed  a few  days  before.  It  was  about 
twenty  feet  in  length  and  ten  inches  in  diameter.  He  did 
not  wish  to  injure  the  skin  by  shooting  the  reptile,  which 
was  up  a small  tree,  so  he  attached  a stout  cord  with  a noose 
to  the  end  of  a pole  and  slipped  it  over  the  serpent’s  neck, 
choking  it,  and  then  he  cut  its  throat.  It  was  a very  excit- 
ing performance,  and  took  the  man  quite  half  an  hour.  The 
natives  who  discovered  this  boa  all  ran  away,  of  course,  when 
they  saw  the  dangerous  method  prepared  for  its  capture. 
The  skin  bore  a regular  succession  of  spots,  alternately  black 
and  yellow,  along  its  back.  There  are  a great  many  snakes 
in  this  section  of  Brazil,  some  of  the  smaller  ones  being  very 
venomous.  On  my  return  to  Morro  Y elho  I passed  three  or 
four  sunning  themselves  in  the  road. 

The  little  steamer  on  which  I had  come  down  the  river 
requiring  seven  days  for  the  trip  up-stream,  and  not  leaving 
for  a couple  of  days,  I decided  to  return  on  mule-back — espe- 
cially upon  learning  that  the  road  was  about  half  of  the 
length  of  the  tortuous  river  journey.  I took  a guide,  in 
addition  to  my  own  servant,  and  passed  through  a country 
partly  of  pasture,  with  a few  trees,  and  partly  of  forest.  In 
coming  through  the  forest  I frequently  saw  monkeys  playing 
upon  the  trees,  but  they  were  rather  suspicious,  and  scam- 
pered off  at  a near  approach.  They  were  of  a blackish  color, 
with  some  white  spots  about  the  head.  There  were  also 
many  huge  conical  ant-hills,  the  same  as  in  Paraguay,  and 
numerous  mud  beehive-shaped  structures  upon  the  trees. 


ON  THE  RIO  DAS  VELHAS. 


291 


One  variety  of  these  hives  is  also  inhabited  by  a species  of 
ant,  and  another  is  used  as  a nest  by  a peculiar  bird.  About 
six  o’clock  in  the  evening  we  came  down  from  the  hills,  and 
crossed  the  Rio  das  Yelhas  by  a long  wooden  bridge,  and 
then,  after  a steep  climb  upon  the  opposite  bank,  we  reached 
the  large  town  of  Santa  Luzia.  It  is  a long,  straggling  place, 
consisting  mostly  of  but  a single  street  running  along  the 
crest  of  a low  range  of  hills.  The  houses  are  chiefly  of  one 
story,  with  windows  of  which  the  upper  half  is  glass,  the 
lower  blinds.  As  I rode  along,  most  of  the  doors  and  win- 
dows were  closed,  and  at  first  I supposed  the  people  were  at 
dinner,  but  I soon  caught  glimpses,  at  nearly  every  window, 
of  girls  and  women  peeping  forth  to  see  the  new  arrival.  I 
passed  a two-story  town-hall,  a part  of  which  formed  a jaiU 
In  one  room  was  a prisoner  playing  upon  a guitar ; at  a win- 
dow some  one  was  handing  in  a bottle  of  rum.  A convict’s 
life  in  Brazil  does  not  appear  to  be  altogether  an  unhappy 
one.  I put  up  at  the  “Hotel  Populaire,”  French  by  name, 
but  Portuguese  by  nature.  In  its  small  rooms  are  ceilings  of 
colored  bamboos,  woven  into  simple  patterns  with  pleasing 
effect.  The  parlor  has  a massive  carved  table,  mirrors,  a 
cane-seated  sofa,  and  chairs.  The  bedrooms  have  simply 
bare  bedsteads,  wash-stands,  and  possibly  chairs,  though  prob- 
ably not.  In  the  hotels  of  Brazil  the  room  is  furnished  and 
“made  up”  after  it  is  engaged.  Mattresses  and  sheets  are 
brought  in,  also  toilet  apparatus,  and  perhaps  a couple  of 
chairs,  if  they  can  be  found  about  the  premises.  The  table 
contained  the  usual  fair  variety — no  condiments  and  no  des- 
sert of  any  kind,  however.  My  kind  and  thoughtful  friend 
at  Morro  Yelho  having  sent  me  two  fresh  mules  from  his 
own  fine  stock,  I started  on  at  daylight,  riding  over  a much 
rougher  country  than  that  of  the  day  before,  and  getting 
many  extended  and  beautiful  views  of  the  great  green  bil- 
lowy sea  of  verdure.  The  hills  being  nearly  all  of  the  same 
height,  the  few  exceptional  ones  a trifle  higher,  merely  had 
the  same  billowy  effect  that  one  perceives  upon  the  ocean. 
I had  a rough  descent,  over  a very  steep  piece  of  road,  to  the 


292  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


town  of  Sahara,  which  is  situated  on  much  lower  ground 
than  Santa  Luzia.  Crossing  the  Eio  das  Yelhas  by  a good 
wooden  bridge,  I soon  reach  my  point  of  departure  in  the 
little  steamer,  and  in  two  hours  thereafter  I am  back  again  in 
the  comfortable  house  of  Mr.  Chalmers,  listening  to  the  eter- 
nal clatter  of  the  neighboring  stamping-mills. 

From  Morro  Yelho  I went  to  Ouro  Preto,  the  capital  of 
the  province,  and  fifty-six  miles  distant,  a good  portion  of 
the  road  being  the  same  as  that  upon  which  I had  come  to 
the  great  gold-mine.  The  day  was  very  hot,  and,  though  my 
mules  had  had  several  days’  rest,  and  the  benefit  of  good  food 
and  stabling,  they  seemed  by  the  middle  of  the  afternoon 
quite  tired  out.  The  mules,  and  horses  also,  in  Brazil,  have 
nothing  like  the  strength  and  endurance  of  those  in  Ecuador, 
Peru,  and  Bolivia.  And  in  Brazil  the  roads  are  very  much 
better,  being  generally  sufficiently  level  for  carts,  whereas 
on  the  west  coast  they  are  usually  only  rough  trails,  which 
are  often  very  steep.  Again,  the  pack-mules  are  treated 
much  better  here  than  there,  having  great  wads  of  straw 
under  their  saddles,  and  being  fed  with  corn  as  well  as  grass. 
Also,  the  more  frequent  occurrence  of  road-side  inns  in  Brazil 
than  on  the  other  side  of  South  America  allows  travelers  a 
greater  opportunity  for  rest,  in  which,  of  course,  their  beasts 
participate.  But  notwithstanding  these  facts,  the  Brazil 
mules  can  not  compare  with  those  of  the  western  republics. 
Doubtless  some  allowance  must  be  made  in  that  the  former 
experience  the  tropic  heat  of  comparative  lowlands,  while 
the  latter  spend  a good  part  of  their  existence  upon  the 
cold  slopes  or  the  summits  of  the  sub-Andean  chain.  I 
stopped  for  the  night  at  Eio  das  Pedras,  but  at  another  and 
a much  better  hotel  than  upon  my  upward  journey.  The 
next  day  I followed  the  same  road  by  which  I came,  until 
noon,  and  then  struck  due  east,  ascending  one  of  the  spurs  of 
a long  range  of  hills  running  north  and  south,  and  on  the 
eastern  side  of  which  lies  Ouro  Preto.  Turning  abruptly 
the  extremity  of  this  spur,  we  began  to  descend  over  a very 
steep,  rough  road,  paved  in  part  with  huge  flat  stones,  which 


?■ 


OX  TEE  RIO  DAS  VELEAS. 


293 


in  the  rainy  season  may  have  kept  the  water  from  washing 
the  road  away,  but  which  did  not  at  all  facilitate  the  progress 
of  our  animals.  After  a considerable  amount  of  slipping 
and  stumbling,  and  a few  falls,  and  after  passing  many  mule- 
troops,  and  a few  carts  with  numerous  oxen  attached,  I at 
last  caught  sight  of  Ouro  Preto,  lying  along  the  side  and  in 
the  hollow  of  a narrow  valley  completely  surrounded  by  high, 
rock-capped  hills.  Away  to  the  southeast  arose  the  peak  of 
Itacolumi,  a little  over  a mile  high,  with  its  curious  great 
bowlder  of  granite  standing  abruptly  forth.  All  about  the 
hills  were  the  great,  rough,  red  and  gray,  yellow  and  brown 
holes  made  by  the  old  miners  and  enlarged  and  washed  by 
the  rains.  I entered  the  main  street.  Ouro  Preto,  in  fact, 
seems  composed  chiefly  of  one  thoroughfare,  which  winds 
up,  down,  and  about  the  valley  for  a distance  of  four  miles, 
often  at  an  angle  of  thirty-five  degrees,  and  scarcely  straight 
for  a hundred  yards  together,  as  it  nears  the  center  of  the 
town. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 


CIRCLING  BACK  TO  RIO. 

The  situation  of  Ouro  Preto  is  very  picturesque.  It  is 
like  one  of  the  towns  in  the  Tyrol.  The  lower  part  of  the 
surrounding  hills  is  covered  with  dark-green  grass  and  shrubs. 
The  trees  are  few  and  small.  Through  the  valley  run  several 
attenuated  streams,  which  are  frequently  crossed  by  quaint 
old  stone  bridges.  A number  of  hillocks  adorn  the  valley, 
and  those  which  are  not  crowned  by  churches,  with  long  and 
imposing  approaches  of  paved  road,  or  flights  of  stone  steps, 
are  covered  by  dwellings.  Ho  two  houses  seem  to  be  of  the 
same  size  or  shape,  or  to  contain  the  same  number  of  stories, 
or  to  be  built  upon  the  same  level.  They  are,  in  fact,  actu- 
ally terraced  up  the  sides  of  the  hills.  Hext  the  street  and 
facing  it  they  may  be  one  story  in  height,  while  upon  the 
other  end  they  will  frequently  be  three  stories.  Two  thirds 
of  the  town  are  fully  three  hundred  feet  below  the  remain- 
der. The  street  along  which  I rode  was  badly  paved  with 
rough  cobble-stones,  and  upon  certain  portions  great  flat  slabs 
were  laid  for  pedestrians.  There  was  sometimes  also  a side- 
walk about  eighteen  inches  wide.  The  side  streets  go  almost 
directly  either  up  or  down,  and  even  the  long  main  street 
has  sections  almost  inaccessible  by  any  animal  save  a mule, 
steps  being  here  used  by  pedestrians.  Of  course,  there  are 
no  carriages  at  Ouro  Preto.  Access  to  the  lower  part  of  the 
town  must  be  had  by  long,  winding  roads.  There  were  fre- 
quent iron  posts,  topped  by  kerosene-lamps.  At  nearly  every 
corner  were  little  shrines  containing  sacred  effigies,  with  can- 
dles and  other  lights  burning  before  them.  I put  up  at  the 


CIRCLING  BACK  TO  RIO. 


295 


best  hotel,  which  provided  a very  fair  table,  though  the 
rooms  were  small  and  dirty.  The  founding  of  Ouro  Preto 
was  undertaken  many  years  ago — I noticed  a curious  old 
bridge  with  the  date  of  1745 — by  the  Portuguese,  with  no 
attempt  to  select  a suitable  site,  but  simply  to  be  convenient 
to  the  mines  which  they  were  working.  Though  stores  of  all 
kinds  abound,  there  is  slight  business,  the  neighboring  mines 
paying  little  or  nothing.  However,  Ouro  Preto  is  the  capi- 
tal of  one  of  the  finest  provinces  of  the  empire,  the  residence 
of  the  president  and  other  officials,  which  will  always  make 
it  a place  of  considerable  importance.  To  the  traveler  it  is 
of  special  interest,  from  the  picturesqueness  of  its  situation 
and  the  quaintness  of  its  buildings,  especially  the  churches. 
The  towers  and  little  bulbous  cupolas  of  the  churches,  and 
the  white,  blue,  and  yellow  walls  of  the  dwellings,  give  it,  in 
fact,  a half-0 riental  aspect.  There  is  a flavor,  too,  of  great 
age  in  the  weather-stained  buildings,  and  the  dull  red  of  the 
tiled  roofs  has  a sort  of  dreamy,  lifeless  air  which  makes  the 
spot  quite  romantic.  There  are  many  odd  old  fountains  by 
the  sides  of  the  roads.  They  are  generally  built  of  brick  or 
stone,  with  some  kind  of  ornamental  figure  spouting  water 
into  a large  stone  basin.  They  are  often  painted  in  a variety 
of  gaudy  colors.  The  water  comes  from  springs  in  the  neigh- 
boring hills,  and  is  very  wholesome. 

About  the  center  of  the  town  a high  ridge  reaches  at 
right  angles  almost  across  the  valley.  Upon  this  stand  the 
government-house,  the  municipal  congress-hall,  the  treasury, 
the  prison,  and  some  five  churches.  The  government-house 
contains  many  provincial  offices,  and  is  the  residence  of  the 
President  of  Minas-Geraes.  In  front  of  it  is  a small  inclosed 
garden,  a poor  one,  too,  the  solitary  example  in  Ouro  Preto. 
Upon  the  opposite  side  of  this  is  the  rather  imposing  public 
prison,  a large,  square,  two-story  building,  on  a fine  site.  It 
is  painted  yellow,  and  has  very  queer  old  statues  upon  the 
angles  of  its  roof.  It  looks  much  more  like  a palace  than 
that  at  present  occupied  by  the  president,  which,  with  its 
plain  yellow  two  stories,  its  peaked,  tiled  roof  and  its  heavy 


296  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


walls,  buttresses,  and  sentry-boxes,  looks  much  more  like  a 
citadel  than  a palace.  The  tower  of  the  prison  has  a large 
clock,  with  the  minute-hand  missing.  As  an  offset,  the  clock- 
tower  of  one  of  the  principal  churches  has  only  the  minute- 
hand.  These  are  good  illustrations  of  one  of  the  most  notice- 
able of  Brazilian  failings,  an  inability  to  comprehend  the  im- 
portance of  time.  To  know  somewhere  about  the  hour  of 
the  day  is  sufficient  for  the  average  Brazilian ; he  rarely  both- 
ers himself  concerning  the  minutes.  There  is  also  a general 
incapacity  to  estimate  and  appreciate  distance.  When,  trav- 
eling on  the  road,  and  inquiring  how  far  it  is  to  the  next 
town,  you  will  often  receive  the  answer  that  it  is  half  a 
league,  more  or  less,  and  you  will  afterward  find  it  as  much 
as  two  whole  leagues  and  several  hours  of  hard  riding.  I 
visited  the  parish  church  of  Antonio  Dias,  and  found  it  fuff 
of  curious  old  rude  carvings,  gilded  and  painted  white ; also 
the  church  of  San  Francisco  d’Assis.  The  facade  of  the 
latter  has  much  stone- wrork,  and  high  above  the  door  an 
effigy  of  Saint  Francis  carved  in  high-relief,  and  a creditable 
performance,  judged  from  an  artistic  standpoint.  The  inte- 
rior contains  a very  remarkable  ceiling  painting  which  fills 
the  whole  oval  of  the  nave.  There  are  also  some  good  paint- 
ings in  the  sacristy,  and  a well-carved  stone  fountain  against 
the  waff  and  reaching  to  the  ceiling.  Ouro  Preto — which 
has  a population  of  about  twelve  thousand — boasts  of  a small 
theatre,  three  newspapers,  each  published  three  times  a week, 
billiard-saloons,  barracks  containing  three  hundred  troops  of 
the  line,  and  an  effective  police  department.  A good  School 
of  Mines,  a simple-looking  building,  stands  high  upon  one  of 
the  hills,  and  is  admirably  adapted  to  its  purpose.  Besides 
class-rooms,  laboratories,  and  scientific  apparatus  of  every 
sort,  it  contains  a capital  collection  of  minerals,  the  province 
of  Minas-Geraes  being  especially  well  represented.  At  pres- 
ent some  forty  or  fifty  pupils  attend  this  school,  which  gives 
a rather  general  training  in  physics,  chemistry,  zoology,  and 
botany.  The  mines  about  Ouro  Preto  not  now  generally 
being  in  a profitable  condition,  it  is  perhaps  better  that  the 


A Wealthy  Negress. 


CIRCLING  BACK  TO  RIO . 


297 


training  of  these  young  men  should  not  be  exclusively  devoted 
to  mining  and  metallurgy.  I esteemed  myself  fortunate  in 
being  shown  the  sights  of  Ouro  Preto  by  a French  gentleman, 
a professor  in  the  School  of  Mines,  M.  Arthur  Thire. 

I left  Ouro  Preto  at  daylight  for  Teixeiras,  about  ninety 
miles  to  the  southeast,  and  the  terminus  of  the  Leopoldina 
Pailway,  which  joins  the  Dom  Pedro  II.  line  at  Entre  Pios. 
A good  road  led  down  the  valley,  at  whose  bottom  ran  a 
mountain  torrent,  and  then,  after  about  eight  miles,  I reached 
Marianna,  a little  town  lying  upon  a low  spur  projecting  into 
a valley  and  surrounded  by  an  amphitheatre  of  prettily  di- 
versified hills.  We  next  passed  through  San  Sebastian,  a 
long,  straggling  village  of  miserable-looking  mud  huts,  be- 
longing to  negroes.  Many  of  them  being  closed  and  locked, 
I imagined  their  owners  were  out  at  work,  and,  upon  looking 
at  the  river  below  me,  I saw  very  many  people  with  great 
wooden  trays  washing  the  sands  for  gold.  During  all  my 
journeys  through  Minas-Geraes  I had  been  struck  by  the  great 
number  of  negroes  who  seemed  to  constitute  quite  three 
fourths  of  the  population,  and  for  the  most  part  were  very 
poor  and  shabby,  both  in  their  personal  appearance  and  in 
their  houses.  This  is  true  of  the  smaller  towns  and  of  the 
province  generally,  but  in  Ouro  Preto,  since  it  is  the  capital, 
many  government  officials  and  shopkeepers  are  either  ne- 
groes or  mulattoes.  The  great  coffee-plantations  belong  to 
the  Brazilian  creoles,  who  also  manage  the  railways,  both  at 
the  stations  and  aboard  the  trains.  The  Europeans  in  Minas- 
Geraes  are  usually  connected  with  either  the  railways,  as  con- 
tractors or  engineers,  or  the  gold-mines,  as  officials  or  miners. 
Gold  occurs  in  all  parts  of  Minas-Geraes.  Poor  people  out  of 
money  simply  go  to  the  rivers  and  wash  for  gold,  and  then 
literally  “ come  down  with  the  dust,”  which  is  accepted  in  the 
shops  as  coin,  the  shopkeepers  knowing  exactly  how  to  calcu- 
late its  worth  by  measurement.  I may  add  that  in  Brazil  ne- 
groes, who  are,  of  course,  the  descendants  of  slaves  imported 
froth  Africa,  actually  form  one  fifth  of  the  population.  The 
road  continued  quite  good.  I passed  by  cultivated  land  and 


298  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


pasture,  though  the  country  seemed  slightly  peopled  save  in 
towns,  or,  more  properly,  villages.  Little  grain  grew  except 
maize.  Bananas  everywhere  flourished  wild.  In  one  place 
I passed  four  long  rows  of  bee-hives,  the  bees  swarming 
about  in  thousands  and  making  a tremendous  noise  with 
their  wings.  Many  streams  which  coursed  down  to  the 
bottoms  of  the  valleys  were  utilized  by  neighboring  farmers 
as  a water-power  for  grinding  their  corn.  In  several  of  the 
road-side  inns  in  which  I stopped  I noticed  Yankee  clocks 
and  sewing-machines,  with  an  incongruity  of  surroundings 
almost  appalling.  I reached  Ponte  htova  the  following 
afternoon,  a small  town  lying  along  the  banks  of  a swiftly 
flowing  and  muddy  stream.  The  narrow-gauge  track  of  the 
new  railway  is  laid  to  within  a few  miles  of  Ponte  Eova. 
Its  course  is  exactly  that  of  a corkscrew,  and  it  seems  to  con- 
sist mostly  of  deep  cuttings  and  high  fillings.  The  system 
on  which  Brazilian  hotels  are  conducted  is  always  amusing. 
Everything  is  consumed  at  each  meal,  nothing  whatever  of 
an  edible  sort  remaining  over.  So,  one  morning,  when  I 
wished  some  rolls  with  my  early  breakfast,  I had  to  send 
a boy  to  wake  up  the  baker,  who  transmitted  by  my  mes- 
senger just  one  small  roll.  If,  therefore,  you  wTish  anything 
to  eat  between  meals,  you  will  not  get  it  unless  the  baker  or 
butcher  shop  is  open,  and  even  then  you  will  frequently  be 
disappointed.  I have  asked,  in  the  afternoon,  for  boiled 
eggs,  to  be  served  early  next  morning,  and  have  been'  told 
that  there  were  none  in  the  hotel ; and  twelve  hours  later, 
instead  of  the  eggs,  have  received  the  expression  of  the 
landlord’s  regret  that  he  had  none  to  give  me  ! These  hotels 
are,  besides,  the  most  noisy  places  on  earth,  save  possibly 
some  overcrowded  bedlams.  At  table  the  people  shout  at 
each  other  as  if  all  were  deaf ; and  in  coming  in  late  at 
night,  or  going  out  early  in  the  morning,  they  make  as 
much  racket  and  uproar  as  if  there  were  nobody  asleep 
within  five  miles  of  them.  Their  politeness  struck  me  also 
as  very  superficial.  On  the  road  the  same  man  who  would 
ceremoniously  doff  his  hat,  would  stand  staring  at  me  near 


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299 


a closed  gate,  wliile  I descended  from  my  liorse  to  open  it. 
The  courtesy  of  social  etiquette  requires  only  some  knowl- 
edge and  a good  memory ; but  the  thought  of  another’s 
interest,  and  the  wish  to  aid  and  assist  him,  not  only  with 
ready  sympathy  but  actual  work,  these  necessitate  refine- 
ment of  feeling  and  generous  impulse.  From  Teixeiras  I 
was  to  go  on  by  rail;  so  I paid  off:  Hippolyte,  adding  a 
largess  in  token  of  his  faithful  services.  ITe  was  to  return 
at  daybreak  with  the  animals  to  Lafayette,  by  the  way  of 
Ouro  Preto.  Though  this  was  the  rainy  season,  I had  been 
vouchsafed  very  good  weather,  with  air  clear  as  crystal,  and 
highly  exhilarating ; and,  though  the  thermometer  had  some- 
times risen  to  100°  in  the  shade,  it  had  not  proved  itself 
a debilitating,  heat.  The  nights  were  invariably  comfort- 
able, and  even  cool  enough  to  require  a blanket  toward 
early  morning.  In  that  part  of  the  world  the  difference  of 
temperature  between  midday  and  midnight  is  always  very 
great,  but  the  abrupt  change  does  not  prove  insalubrious  to 
either  natives  or  foreigners. 

I left  Teixeiras  at  2 p.  m.  for  the  town  of  San  Geraldo, 
where  I had  to  remain  all  night,  and  then  go  on  to  Paque- 
quer,  on  the  Parahyba  Piver,  about  thirty  miles  to  the  north- 
eastward of  Entre  Pios,  through  which  I passed  on  my  way 
north  to  the  gold-mines  of  Morro  Velho.  The  first  part  of 
the  railway  journey  was  specially  interesting  in  disclosing 
how  very  crooked  a railway  could  be  without  eventually 
arriving  at  the  place  whence  it  started.  Hone  but  a narrow- 
gauge  road,  certainly,  could  have  made  the  very  short  curves 
we  did.  The  grade  also  was  very  steep.  There  is  hardly  a 
straight  quarter  of  a mile  on  the  whole  road,  but  this  is  ne- 
cessary, for  so  steep  is  it  that  there  would  otherwise  have  to 
be  a series  of  reverse  tangents.  There  were  many  deep  cut- 
tings, at  first  through  earth ; but  afterward,  when,  from  the 
hills  to  which  we  had  gradually  risen  we  came  to  descend 
to  the  valley  that  holds  San  Geraldo,  most  of  the  excava- 
tions were  through  rock.  This  descent  was  a capital  copy, 
in  miniature,  of  the  famous  Arequipa  Pail  way,  in  southern 


300  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  ROUTE  AMERICA. 


Pern,  already  described  in  these  pages.  Notwithstanding 
that  I had  already  seen  the  latter,  I must  call  this  part  of  the 
Leopoldina  line  a very  remarkable  piece  of  engineering.  We 
frequently  saw  three  portions  of  the  railroad  at  one  and  the 
same  time.  Once,  at  least,  it  wound  completely  around  the 
summit  of  a small  hill,  in  order  to  effect  a fall  of  about  thirty 
feet.  Again,  there  would  be  long  distances  when  two  sec- 
tions of  the  road  would  run  parallel,  not  more  than  fifty 
feet  apart.  The  locomotives  and  cars  on  this  little  line  are  of 
American  make,  the  former  coming  from  Philadelphia,  the 
latter  from  Paterson.  Owing  to  the  enormous  fall  of  water 
during  the  rainy  season,  it  is  very  difficult  to  keep  the  em- 
bankments of  the  road  in  order.  They  are  either  sliding 
from  above  upon  the  track,  or  down  into  the  valley  from 
under  it.  It  is  mostly  a virgin  forest  through  which  -this 
railway  has  been  cut,  and  from  every  spur  or  hill-summit  we 
get  just  such  magnificent  views  of  the  billowy  plain  as  when 
on  mule-back  riding  to  Morro  Yelho.  San  Geraldo  is  an 
ordinary  little  town,  and  I left  it  at  the  rather  uncom- 
fortable hour  of  4.15  a.  m.  for  Paquequer.  The  second  half 
of  the  journey  led  through  immense  coffee-plantations,  and 
some  of  the  finest  coffee  grown  is  said  to  come  from  this 
part  of  the  province  of  Minas-Geraes.  Two  freight-cars  of 
our  train  were  filled  with  bags  of  coffee,  as  were  many  of 
the  station-houses  at  which  we  stopped.  At  Paquequer,  I 
changed  cars  for  the  station  of  Sumidouro,  about  twenty 
miles  distant,  on  the  Paquequer  Piver,  which  the  railroad 
follows  from  its  junction  with  the  Parahyba,  and  which  is 
in  the  province  of  Pio  Janeiro.  The  line  was  in  process 
of  extension  from  here  some  five  miles  up  the  valley,  and 
to  this  point  I was  obliged  to  walk,  hiring  a boy  to  carry  my 
luggage,  there  being  neither  a hotel  at  the  station  nor  mules 
to  carry  me  to  the  hotel,  which  is  situated  in  a little  town 
called  Pio  Grande.  I expected  to  obtain  mules  at  Sumi- 
douro, in  order  to  cross  the  hills,  thirty  miles  to  the  eastward, 
to  the  town  of  Canto  Gallo.  This  is  the  terminus  of  the 
Nova  Friburgo  Pail  way,  which  runs  direct  to  Nictheroy, 


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301 


on  the  bay  opposite  Rio,  connecting  therewith  by  steam- 
ferry. 

There  seemed  to  be  plenty  of  animals  about,  but  every- 
body said  they  were  in  use,  and  refused  to  send  any  with  me, 
even  for  double  price.  I was  much  amused  at  one  man  of 
whom  I inquired  the  distance  to  Canto  Gallo.  His  reply 
was,  “ Sixteen  or  twenty  miles,  more  or  less.”  I told  him  I 
could  guess  myself,  and  so  need  not  have  asked  him.  He 
merely  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  laughed  at  my  sarcasm. 
It  being  quite  impossible  to  obtain  horses  or  mules  at  Sumi- 
douro,  I was  forced  to  walk  five  miles  back  to  the  station, 
and  take  a train  about  fifteen  miles  to  Nossa  Senhora  do 
Carmo,  at  which  little  town  good  animals  were  found.  I at 
once  set  forth  with  a guide  over  the  mountains  to  Canto 
Gallo.  At  first  the  road  passed  through  many  coffee-planta- 
tions, then  through  the  most  superb  forest  I had  yet  seen, 
withtrees  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  height,  orchids,  ferns, 
and  an  impenetrable  network  of  leaves.  Leaving  the  forest, 
we  again  crossed  several  extensive  coffee-plantations,  with 
large  farm-houses,  and  many  male  and  female  slaves  at  work 
in  the  fields.  At  the  extremity  of  one  of  the  valleys  which 
we  had  entered,  was  an  enormous  cliff  whose  vertical  sides 
were  nearly  covered  with  orchids,  and  opposite  to  this  was 
a mountain,  about  fifteen  hundred  feet  in  height,  whose  pre- 
cipitous and  bulbous  flanks  were  wholly  composed  of  smooth 
rock,  only  a few  trees  crowning  the  summit.  The  scenery 
was  remarkably  fine  all  the  afternoon,  but  we  had  a tremen- 
dous rain-storm  which  made  the  road  so  slippery  that  we 
reached  Canto  Gallo  only  after  being  nine  hours  in  the  sad- 
dle. We  rode  along  a wide,  paved  street  to  the  best  hotel, 
where  we  were  glad  enough  to  go  soon  to  bed. 

The  locomotives  used  upon  the  Nova  Friburgo  line  are 
of  the  powerful  Baldwin  (Philadelphia)  make.  The  cars  are 
little  toy  affairs,  about  as  small  and  as  light  as  could  well  be 
utilized.  The  first  half  of  the  route  to  Nictheroy  was 
among  the  mountains,  through  most  superb  scenery.  The 
latter  part  was  over  a comparatively  level  plain,  and,  there- 


302  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


fore,  not  specially  interesting.  Nothing  but  corn  and  coffee 
covered  the  first  portion,  and  there  were  great  quantities  of 
both.  The  first  large  town  we  reached  was  Nova  Friburgo, 
which,  surrounded  by  hills  and  filled  with  canals  and  broad 
streets,  reminded  me  very  much  of  Petropolis,  as  indeed 
Petropolis,  in  turn,  had  reminded  me  of  some  Swiss  town, 
or,  more  minutely,  of  a town  half  Dutch,  half  Swiss.  A 
large  party  of  German-Swiss  colonists  laid  out  and  settled 
Nova  Friburgo  in  1820.  The  old,  original  Fribourg,  favor- 
ably known  to  tourists  from  the  famous  organ  in  its  cathe- 
dral, is,  of  course,  in  Switzerland.  The  colony  was  broken 
up  a few  years  afterward,  but  many  of  their  descendants  are 
still  living  in  the  place.  Charming  walks  and  drives  abound 
in  the  neighborhood.  The  hotels  are  good,  and  the  people 
are  exceedingly  hospitable  and  obliging.  The  altitude  of 
the  town  is  twenty-eight  hundred  feet  above  the  sea.  The 
climate  is  cool  and  invigorating,  and  the  scenery  almost  Al- 
pine in  character.  Leaving  Nova  Friburgo,  we  rapidly  rose 
to  the  summit  of  the  Serra  da  Boa  Yista,  which  is  simply  an 
extension  of  the  Organ  Mountains.  The  same  range,  by-the- 
by,  which  runs  in  a general  course  of  east  and  west  through 
the  province  of  Bio  Janeiro,  has  as  many  as  ten  different 
names.  This  is  a common  and  confusing  custom  in  Brazil- 
ian geographical  nomenclature.  Fourteen  miles  from  Nova 
Friburgo  we  attain  the  highest  elevation  of  the  road,  thirty- 
three  hundred  and  fifty  feet.  The  scenery,  during  the  de- 
scent, is  even  more  beautiful  than  that  upon  the  serra  of 
Petropolis,  being  much  wilder,  and  with  wider  prospects, 
while  the  engineering  of  the  road  is  even  more  remarkable 
than  that  of  the  Leopoldina  line.  It  was  possible  to  build  it 
only  upon  the  Fell  system,  whose  third  and  central  rail,  to- 
gether with  the  very  narrow  gauge,  admits  of  curves  of  only 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  radius,  around  which  our  little 
train  dashed  at  full  speed.  In  fact,  our  speed  all  day,  both 
up  and  down  the  mountains,  was  astonishing,  the  steepest 
grade  being  eight  feet  in  one  hundred.  In  descending  the 
serra  a brakeman  was  attached  to  each  car.  The  sharpest 


CIRCLING  BACK  TO  BIO. 


303 


curves  in  the  United  States  are  no  less  than  three  hundred 
feet  radius,  but  in  Colorado  I have  seen  a short  line,  which 
is  used  to  bring  ore  to  the  Pueblo  furnaces,  worked  by  a lo- 
comotive over  a seven-per-cent  grade.  This  I believe  to  be 
the  steepest  grade  in  the  world  surmounted  by  ordinary  loco- 
motives on  smooth  rails.  Verily,  it  would  seem  that  where 
a mule  can  go,  the  locomotive  has  been  made  to  follow. 

At  one  point  in  the  Boa  Vista  Mountains  a terrific  tor- 
rent, swollen  by  the  recent  great  rains,  had  swept  away  a 
bridge  and  a long  stretch  of  the  railroad.  Here  we  had  to 
leave  our  train  and  walk  down  to  an  improvised  bridge,  span- 
ning an  enormous  gully,  through  which  the  stream  still  raged 
over  large  bowlders  of  loosely  strewed  rocks.  Crossing,  we 
found  another  train  awaiting  us  upon  the  opposite  bank,  and 
on  we  went  again,  this  time  with  a very  compact  and  power- 
ful French  locomotive.  That  part  of  the  range  near  There- 
sopolis,  specifically  styled  the  Organ  Mountains,  character- 
ized by  needle-like  spires,  now  stood  grandly  forth.  And 
we  had  not  gone  many  miles  farther  before  the  peak  of 
Tijuca,  behind  the  city  of  Pio,  was  dimly  marked  against 
the  heavens.  Hext  I saw  my  old  friend  the  Corcovado,  and 
then  the  massy  Sugar-Loaf,  whose  changeless . serenity,  com- 
pared with  the  transiency  of  individual  human  lives,  reminded 
me  of  TurgenefPs  remarkable  prose-poem  on  mountains.  We 
arrived  at  Hictheroy,  seven  hours  from  Canto  Gallo.  Uic- 
theroy  is  a large  flat  town,  with  tramways  extending  in  every 
direction,  and  a handsome  public  garden.  At  the  northern  ex- 
tremity are  a large  arsenal  and  good  ship-building  docks.  To 
Pio  we  took  a ferry-boat,  much  like  those  plying  in  Hew  York 
Harbor,  though  without  provision  for  horses  and  carriages.  It 
takes  about  half  an  hour  to  cross  the  bay.  Once  more  I drink 
in  the  wonderful  and  beautiful  panorama.  From  a few  not 
very  widely  separated  points  you  get  a score  of  distinct  Pios. 
These  are  views  of  which  I am  sure  I never  could  tire.  It  is 
fairy-land.  Especially  alluring  is  the  entrance  to  the  harbor, 
through  which  you  can  look  far  out  to  sea.  But  the  spell  is 
broken  as  I land  and  take  the  tram  to  the  English  hotel. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 


THE  SECOND  CITY  OF  BKAZIL. 

On  the  13th  of  March  I left  Rio,  in  one  of  the  Hamburg 
line  of  steamers,  for  the  city  of  Bahia,  the  second  in  size, 
though  not  in  commercial  importance,  in  Brazil.  It  is  about 
one  thousand  miles  distant  from  the  capital.  We  had  a full 
list  of  passengers,  among  them  many  Brazilians.  The  sum- 
mits of  the  Organ  Mountains  were  veiled  in  bright,  fleecy 
clouds.  The  vari-colored  city  shone  resplendent  in  the  early 
morning  sun,  the  towers  of  the  churches  being  sharply  out- 
lined against  dark-green  hills.  In  company  wTith  several 
large  steamers,  we  wended  our  way  to  the  harbor’s  mouth. 
Passing  between  the  grand  old  Sugar-Loaf  and  the  grim,  gray 
fort  of  Santa  Cruz,  with  our  ensign  lowered  and  raised,  as 
though  in  recognition  of  both,  we  signaled  good-by,  our 
salutation  being  slowly  returned  from  the  fortress.  We 
turned  from  the  south  to  the  east,  and,  passing  between  two 
small,  rocky  islands,  I took  my  last  view  of  Rio  de  Janeiro — 
strange,  dreamy,  charming  Rio.  The  shore  along  which  wTe 
skirted  presented  the  same  odd  jumble  of  hills  as  those  to 
the  westward  of  the  entrance  to  the  famous  bay.  We  car- 
ried a distinct  cloudless  view  of  the  peaks  of  Tijuca  and 
Ga^ea,  almost  up  to  Cape  Frio;  but,  upon  rounding  this 
point,  we  steered  away  to  the  northeast,  and  in  a few  hours 
were  out  of  sight  of  land. 

At  daylight,  on  the  morning  of  the  fourth  day  from  Rio, 
wTe  sighted  the  range  of  hills  at  the  entrance  to  the  harbor  of 
Bahia,  and  a few  hours  thereafter  lay  at  anchor  in  the  semi- 
circular roadstead,  near  the  shore.  For  quite  a distance,  both 


General  View  of  Bahia. 


THE  SECOND  CITT  OF  BRAZIL. 


305 


north  and  east  of  the  city,  yon  behold  from  the  offing  no 
land  more  than  five  hundred  feet  above  sea-level.  The  bay 
of  Bahia  lies  north  and  south,  like  that  of  Kio,  and  it  is  about 
the  same  size  and  shape.  The  entrance  of  the  former,  how- 
ever, is  much  wider,  being  about  ten  miles  across.  While 
the  city  of 'Kio  is  a little  distance  within  and  upon  the  left 
side,  Bahia  is  upon  the  right  hand,  and  really  begins  quite  at 
the  eastern  headland  of  the  harbor,  where  there  is  a tall, 
round  lighthouse.  Upon  the  opposite  side  is  a large  island, 
called  Itaparica.  This  is  plainly  seen,  but  the  remainder  of 
the  deeply  indented  shores  of  the  bay,  with  many  small 
islands,  looms  low  and  vague  through  the  misty  distance. 
At  the  lighthouse  is  a fort ; a short  distance  farther  north 
another,  then  another ; then  out  in  the  water,  a short  distance 
from  shore,  upon  a rock,  a fourth,  a huge  round  castle  whose 
top  is  covered  with  nearly  a complete  circle  of  guns.  Several 
other  forts  stand  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  city,  some  near 
the  water,  others  high  upon  the  bluff,  but  none  that  I have 
mentioned  would  be  any  protection  against  a modern  ironclad. 
Near  us,  as  we  lie  at  anchor,  are  three  or  four  large  foreign 
steamers  and  two  or  three  smaller  Brazilian  coasting  steamers. 
A little  farther  off  are  perhaps  fifty  sailing-vessels,  mostly 
of  small  tonnage  and  of  miscellaneous  nationalities,  together 
with  many  native  lighters  and  small  boats.  The  situation  of 
Bahia  is  very  peculiar.  Had  it  not  been  for  her  good  harbor 
facilities — though  no  loaded  vessels  can  come  to  the  wharves 
— it  is  doubtful  if  such  a site  would  have  been  selected.  All 
along  the  shore,  at  a distance  varying  from  a couple  of  hun- 
dred to  a thousand  feet,  extends  a precipitous  bluff  about  two 
hundred  feet  in  height.  There  is,  then,  no  room  along  the 
shore  for  an  entire  city,  and  the  steep  roads  that  scale  the 
cliff,  upon  and  beyond  which  are  the  private  residences,  were 
very  expensive  in  construction.  The  business  part  of  the 
city,  therefore,  lies  next  the  bay.  The  residences  line  the 
bluff,  and  extend  some  distance  into  the  country,  which  is 
well  supplied  with  roads,  rivers,  lakes,  and  hills — plains  there 
are  none.  The  peculiarity  of  the  situation  of  Bahia  adds, 
20 


306  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


however,  little  to  its  picturesqueness  as  seen  from  the  bay. 
Unlike  Bio,  the  houses  are  of  three,  four,  and  even  five  sto- 
ries. As  room  could  not  be  had  in  a horizontal  direction,  it 
must  needs  be  taken  in  a vertical,  as  in  the  New  York  flats. 
It  is  a very  old  city,  and  the  architecture  is  everywhere  of 
the  quaintest  description.  Viewed  from  the  harbor,  the 
white  and  yellow  walls  of  the  huge  warehouses,  with  their 
iron-latticed  windows,  the  dwellings  with  little  balconies  and 
green  jalousies,  with  an  abundance  of  verdure  appearing  in 
every  direction,  make  a fine  picture.  But  it  is,  after  all, 
rather  a monotonous  picture,  for  Bahia  possesses  few  if  any 
public  buildings  of  any  special  merit.  The  cupola  and 
spires  of  the  cathedral  and  two  or  three  other  churches,  and 
the  great  tower  of  the  elevator  which  conveys  people  from 
the  lower  to  the  upper  town,  alone  give  diversity  to  the  long 
lines  of  shining  white  and  yellow  walls.  But  when  I land 
I see  better  the  reason  of  it  all — Bahia  is  altogether  a com- 
mercial city.  It  is  a great  emporium  of  tobacco,  sugar,  and 
coffee. 

Along  the  sea-front  is  a large  open-air  market,  with  every 
sort  of  fish,  fruit,  and  vegetables,  offered  for  sale  by  giant  ne- 
gresses.  Bahia  is  famous  for  these  enormous  black  women. 
They  are  very  fond  of  finery.  You  will  often  see  them  engaged 
at  work,  wearing  chemises  deeply  fringed  and  inlaid  with 
lace,  with  heavy  gold  chains  about  their  necks,  and  many 
bracelets.  The  negroes  who  labor  about  the  wharves  and 
warehouses  possess  extraordinary  muscular  development  of 
the  arms  and  shoulders.  Besides  the  employment  of  these 
in  bearing  burdens,  they  use  also  hand-carts,  and  sometimes 
mule-carts.  A laughing  darkey,  with  the  physique  of  a 
Hercules,  and  a skin  shining  like  satin,  tosses  my  heavy  iron- 
bound  trunk  upon  his  head,  and  starts  off  up  the  hill  for  the 
hotel,  a distance  of  quite  half  a mile.  There  are  several  paved 
roads  that  ascend  the  cliff.  Most  of  them  are  too  steep  for 
carriages,  but  one  long  street,  supported  at  intervals  by  huge 
arches  of  masonry,  is  of  an  easy  grade,  and  must  have  been  of 
enormous  cost.  Facing  these  thoroughfares,  in  the  most  in- 


THE  SECOND  CITY  OF  BRAZIL. 


307 


accessible  places,  yon  find  great  four-story  houses  braced  by 
gigantic  stone  buttresses.  Sedan-chairs  are  still  employed 
in  Bahia  for  carrying  women  up  the  bluff.  These  palanquins 
are  merely  chairs  attached  to  long  poles  borne  upon  the 
shoulders  of  two  men.  A black  cloth  covering  gives  them 
rather  a funereal  look.  I do  not  follow  the  porter,  but  walk 
through  the  business  streets,  that  I may  get  a general  idea  of 
the  whole  city,  before  making  a special  study  of  any  part  of 
it.  The  tramway,  which  has  been  so  generally  domesticated 
in  South  America,  runs  here  in  the  few  available  directions. 
Bahia  is  full  of  striking  contrasts.  In  some  streets,  hardly 
ten  feet  in  width,  you  are  back  in  mediseval  times;  in  others, 
broad,  neatly  paved,  well  lighted,  with  fine,  wide  sidewalks, 
you  are  once  more  in  the  modern  world  of  to-day.  In  the 
heart  of  the  lower  town  have  been  crowded  four  or  five 
parallel  streets,  between  the  bluff  and  the  shore  of  the  bay, 
but  along  the  remainder  of  the  bay  there  is  room  for  but  a 
single  lane.  As  the  merchants,  in  their  cool,  white  suits 
and  with  sun-umbrellas,  rushed  by  me,  it  seemed  as  if  in  my 
short  walk  before  reaching  the  elevator,  which  was  to  hoist 
me  to  the  upper  town,  I had  heard  a dozen  languages. 
Here  the  population  meet  on  common  ground,  and  but  for 
one  purpose — to  bring  to  each  and  all  the  ubiquitous  Em- 
peror-emblazoned notes  of  the  national  treasury.  At  the 
base  of  the  bluff  you  enter  a massive  stone  building,  with  a 
display  of  machinery  in  motion  and  a strong  smell  of  oil. 
It  is  dimly  lighted,  but  you  pass  a turnstile,  at  the  side  of 
which  you  deposit  a hundred  reis,  or  five  cents.  You  then 
wend  your  way  along  a damp,  dirty,  dark  corridor,  and  be- 
hold a double  elevator,  though  but  one  car  is  used  at  a time. 
That  which  you  enter  will  hold  twelve  passengers,  and  is 
dimply  lighted  by  a single  lamp  in  one  corner.  In  a mo- 
ment you  are  placed  at  the  top  of  the  bluff,  and  upon  one 
side  of  the  palace  square,  into  which  you  pass  through  another 
self -registering  gate.  Upon  one  side  of  this  square  is  the  old 
Government-house,  and  before  you  is  the  Municipal  Hall, 
both  of  these  being  quaint,  decayed  old  piles.  From  the 


308  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


little  plaza  you  have  a fine  view  over  the  harbor  and  the 
lower  town.  In  the  former  you  see  the  round  fort,  the  ships, 
the  steamers,  and  all  the  varied  life  of  boats  in  motion ; bat 
in  the  latter  little  more  than  a level  of  great,  red-tiled  roofs. 
Turning  to  the  right  I enter  a narrow  street  of  retail  shops, 
pass  the  custom-house,  and  come  out  upon  an  extensive  plaza, 
on  a hill-side,  containing  some  green  lawns  and  a few  large 
trees.  Here  are  situated  the  theatre,  a great,  rough  hulk  out- 
wardly ; the  two  newspaper  offices ; the  best  hotel  of  the  city, 
a huge  building  five  stories  in  height ; and  here  also  seem  to . 
be  the  headquarters  of  several  lines  of  tram-cars.  Thus,  be- 
fore I really  arrive — before,  at  least,  I reach  my  hotel — I have 
gained  a fair  general  idea  of  the  city  of  San  Salvador,  better 
known  nowadays  as  Bahia.  The  hotel  is  kept  by  a Brazilian, 
and  that  is  equivalent  to  saying  it  is  not  to  be  rated  as  first 
class.  Down-stairs  on  the  first  floor  is  a great  billiard-room, 
and  adjoining  it  is  the  restaurant.  Both  of  these  rooms  at 
night  were  packed,  and  the  hubbub,  frequently  increased  by 
itinerant  musicians,  was  extraordinary.  It  w^as  impossible 
to  sleep  before  midnight,  and  even  then  woe  be  to  you,  O 
stranger,  if  a native  have  a room  anywhere  near  yours  ! He 
will  probably  act  as  if  he  were  the  sole  occupant  of  the  hotel, 
at  least  so  far  as  whistling,  or  singing,  or  playing  upon  a 
piano,  or  talking,  with  blatant  tongue,  to  a friend  away  down 
the  hall,  is  concerned.  The  annoying  characteristics  of  Bra- 
zilian hotels  are  noise,  dirt,  and  fraudulent  wines. 

Three  main  lines  of  tramway  thread  Bahia.  One  runs 
along  the  semicircular  shore  of  the  bay  to  the  northern  point. 
Some  of  the  streets  of  the  lower  city  through  which  this 
passes  are  not  more  than  two  feet  wider  than  the  cars,  and 
the  people  had  to  step  into  the  doorways  of  the  stores  to  let 
us  pass.  The  section  of  the  city  through  which  this  line  runs 
is  very  poor  and  squalid,  and  the  negro  element  predominates. 
Another  line  goes  across  the  country,  in  a southeasterly  direc- 
tion, to  a pretty  little  village  called  Bio  Vermelho,  situated 
directly  upon  the  ocean,  where  many  of  the  merchants  of  the 
city  reside.  The  tram  leads  out  to  this  suburb  through 


THE  SECOND  CITY  OF  BRAZIL. 


309 


groves  of  palms,  bananas,  and  bread-fruit,  and  along  a stream 
where  all  the  linen  of  Bahia  seemed  to  be  washed,  so  great 
was  the  display  of  white  garments  upon  the  grass,  and  so 
many  were  the  women  at  work.  The  beach  at  Bio  Vermelho 
was  covered  with  a sort  of  native  fishing-raft,  like  the  cata- 
marans used  at  Madras  and  elsewhere  in  the  Bay  of  Bengal — 
simply  six  timbers  lashed  together,  with  a high  bench  for  a 
fisherman,  or  a passenger,  another  for  the  stepping  of  a mast, 
and  another  for  holding  a little  cargo.  Of  course,  this  sort 
of  craft  will  go  over,  or  at  least  through,  any  surf.  There  is 
a good  hotel  at  Bio  Vermelho,  where  1 found  the  salt  air  a 
pleasant  change  from  that  of  Bahia.  The  remaining  and 
third  line  of  tramway  runs  along  the  bluff  directly  to  the 
south,  and  ends  at  a short  distance  beyond  the  lighthouse. 
Most  of  the  fine  dwellings  of  Bahia  are  situated  on  or  near 
this  road — houses  of  peculiar  architecture,  surrounded  by 
beautiful  gardens  of  flowers.  A good  many  foreigners  live 
directly  upon  the  beach,  near  the  lighthouse. 

The  churches  of  Bahia  are  all  more  or  less  interesting, 
both  outside  and  inside,  being  a little  removed  from  the  or- 
dinary style  of  architecture  and  adornment.  Several  of  them 
are  nearly  square.  They  have  curious,  old,  frescoed  ceilings, 
admirable  wood-carvings,  and  marble  pavements.  I saw  one  of 
the  great  ceremonies  of  the  Church,  called  the  seven  stations, 
which  is  in  commemoration  of  the  seven  halts  that  Christ 
made  while  bearing  his  cross.  An  enormous  and  very  ghastly 
effigy  of  Christ,  richly  robed,  and  bowed  under  a huge  cross, 
was  borne  through  the  streets,  from  church  to  church,  re- 
maining each  night  in  a different  one.  The  procession  which 
followed  this  image  consisted  of  priests,  a military  band,  a 
company  of  infantry,  and  the  populace  generally.  In  the 
afternoon,  when  the  ecclesiastical  journey  was  made,  the 
whole  city  turned  out  in  holiday  attire  to  see,  or  to  take  part 
in,  the  procession.  While  the  effigy  is  resting  in  the  churches 
it  is  visited  by  great  crowds,  who  kiss  its  feet,  weep,  pray, 
and  finally  give  it  some  money — of  which  fund  the  ingenuous 
priests  are,  of  course,  trustees.  Special  services,  attended  by 


310  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


tlie  band  and  the  military,  are  held  all  day  in  its  honor.  The 
scene  in  one  of  the  churches,  brilliantly  decorated  and  illu- 
minated, was  a fantastic  hodge-podge  I shall  never  forget. 
While  the  thorn-crowned  Christ  staggered  under  his  cross, 
with  a soldier  on  guard  at  each  corner,  the  people  prostrated 
themselves  upon  the  floor  in  every  attitude  of  humiliation 
and  devotion,  and  the  military  band  in  the  gallery  played 
one  of  Offenbach’s  polkas  ! The  highest  dignitaries  and  most 
intelligent  men  in  the  province  sanction  all  this  gaudy  and 
repulsive  spectacle,  not  only  by  their  presence,  but  also  by 
the  conspicuous  part  they  take  in  the  processions.  One 
of  the  cords  of  the  canopy  which  is  borne  over  the  effigy 
is  held  by  the  president  of  the  province,  and  another  by 
the  marshal  in  full  uniform,  both  being  bareheaded  and 
on  foot. 

The  public  buildings  and  institutions  of  Bahia  require 
but  little  notice.  The  library,  numbering  some  twenty  thou- 
sand volumes,  mostly  in  French  and  Portuguese,  in  fine  bind- 
ings, is  contained  in  the  old  Jesuit  college  adjoining  the 
cathedral.  It  is  a large,  oblong  room,  overlooking  the  bay. 
The  ceiling  remains  as  it  was  painted  by  the  Jesuits,  and  the 
colors,  though  of  peculiar  tints,  are  still  quite  bright.  The 
library  is  used  only  for  consultation — a long  table,  for  the  use 
of  readers,  occupying  the  center  of  the  room.  On  the  side 
of  the  cathedral  opposite  the  library  is  the  medical  school, 
with  three  hundred  students.  It  has  a good  library,  exami- 
nation-hall, and  class-rooms.  A hospital,  under  charge  of 
the  Sisters  of  Mercy,  adjoins.  The  theatre,  which  is  near 
my  hotel,  is  not  a bad-looking  edifice  inside,  with  its  four 
tiers  of  boxes,  and  large  central  box  for  the  president  of  the 
province.  It  has  also  an  extensive  foyer,  with  paintings  by 
Brazilian  masters,  and  you  may  step  from  it  upon  a marble- 
paved  portico  commanding  a splendid  sweep  of  the  bay  and 
ocean.  Directly  in  front  of  the  theatre  is  a small  marble 
statue  of  Christopher  Columbus,  with  ornamental  water- 
basins  from  which  the  negroes  are  all  day  busily  engaged  in 
filling  their  little  barrels.  Below  the  theatre,  at  the  bottom 


A View  from  the  Public  Gardens. 


THE  SECOND  CITY  OF  BRAZIL. 


311 


of  the  bluff,  stands  the  Jesuit  church,  built  of  white  marble 
brought  from  Lisbon.  The  Public  Garden  of  Bahia  is  situ- 
ated upon  the  bluff,  a short  distance  south  of  the  city.  It  is 
at  present  in  very  bad  order.  There  is  little  attempt  at  land- 
scape gardening.  It  is  filled,  however,  with  huge  mango- 
trees,  and  contains  many  fine  palms  and  odd-looking  tropical 
plants,  of  which  I do  not  know  the  names.  At  the  corner 
next  the  bay  is  a marble-paved  terrace,  commanding  splendid 
views  of  the  neighboring  bay  and  distant  ocean.  There  are 
tile-covered  and  shell-ornamented  settees,  statuary,  and  urns, 
all  of  fine  quality.  Promenading  here  on  breezy  afternoons, 
to  the  music  of  one  of  the  military  bands,  the  ladies  and 
gentlemen  of  Bahia  present  a very  animated  and  attractive 
picture. 

With  the  intention  of  seeing  something  of  the  interior,  I 
left  Bahia  at  noon,  on  the  20th,  for  the  town  of  Cachoeira, 
across  the  bay  and  at  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  Para- 
guassu  Biver.  As  I have  already  said,  the  Bay  of  Bahia  is 
like  that  of  Bio  in  size  and  shape,  and  there  the  comparison 
ends.  At  Bio  we  have  every  variety  of  scenery,  from  the 
somber  and  grand  to  the  graceful  and  pretty,  but  at  Bahia  it 
is  all  a monotonous,  undiversified  level  of  low  hills,  half  cov- 
ered with  scrub  and  half  with  grass.  We  have  a long,  nar- 
row, iron,  paddle-wheel  steamer,  crowded  with  passengers 
and  freight.  We  pass  a small  town  on  the  northern  end  of 
the  Island  of  Itaparica,  and  there  is  a village  on  the  point 
which  we  round  in  entering  the  estuary  of  the  river.  At  one 
town  we  land  the  mail  in  a bottle — that  is,  the  bottle  is 
thrown  into  the  water,  and  men  come  after  it  in  a dug-out. 
I see  a number  of  these  canoes,  deep  and  broad,  in  which 
the  men  paddle  standing.  From  time  to  time  we  pass  a to- 
bacco or  sugar  plantation,  the  farm  buildings  made  of  brick. 
At  one  point  we  stop  and  disembark  some  of  our  passengers 
in  a small  stern-wheel  steamboat,  which  starts  off  with  them, 
down  a great  open  stretch  of  the  river,  to  the  town  of  Mara- 
gogipe.  Once  or  twice  passengers  are  put  into  the  great  ca- 
noes that  come  out  from  the  shore,  and,  sitting  in  chairs,  are 


312  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

drawn  by  small  sails  quickly  to  land.  There  do  not  seem  to 
be  many  cargo-boats.  Those  which  I notice  are  not  very 
large,  but  have  three  masts,  with  triangular-shaped  sails.  All 
the  section  of  country  through  which  the  river  passes  seems 
to  have  been  burned  over  at  least  once.  It  is  quite  smooth,  mo- 
notonous, and  uninteresting.  Cachoeira,  however,  is  a rather 
bustling  business  center.  A railway  extends  hence  in  a north- 
westerly direction  to  Feira,  about  thirty  miles.  On  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  river  is  quite  a large  suburb,  and  here  are 
extensive  railway-stations  and  the  terminus  of  a road  which 
runs  in  a generally  westerly  direction  about  two  hundred 
miles.  The  line  from  Cachoeira  is  a branch  of  it.  The  two 
stations  are  joined  across  the  river  by  a fine  iron -girder 
bridge,  with  three  stone  piers.  We  were  six  hours  in  making 
the  journey  from  Bahia,  a distance  of  about  sixty  miles. 
From  a neat,  white,  stuccoed  station,  I took  the  train  to  Fei- 
ra. It  is  a narrow-gauge  road,  with  cars  built  on  the  Ameri- 
can plan,  open  from  end  to  end.  It  passes  through  a tobacco- 
raising district,  and  depends  for  its  freights  almost  altogether 
upon  this  product.  At  first  we  made  a steep  ascent  of  the 
hills,  going  to  a distance,  and  then  coming  back.  We  did 
not  mount  higher  than  a few  hundred  feet  above  the  town. 
Subsequently  we  saw  the  latter  from  a remote  point  of  view. 
Feira  I found  to  be  a large  and  comparatively  new  town,  laid 
out  with  very  wide  streets  and  large  plazas.  Here  I was 
hospitably  welcomed  by  Mr.  Joseph  Mawson,  the  able  and 
active  superintendent  of  the  “ Brazilian  Imperial  Central 
Bahia  Bail  way,”  who  kindly  placed  his  own  private  car 
at  my  disposition  for  visiting  the  whole  of  the  main 
line,  a generous  offer  of  which  I availed  myself  on  the 
morrow. 

But  one  through  train  each  way  is  run  daily.  The  first- 
class  carriages  have  comfortable  revolving  cane-chairs,  on 
each  side  of  a center  passage-way  ; the  second-class  cars  have 
board  seats  along  each  side.  The  carriages  are  of  English 
make,  though  of  American  pattern.  The  locomotives  are  of 
both  English  and  American  manufacture.  We  started  with 


THE  SECOND  CITY  OF  BRAZIL. 


313 


a long  train,  including  a baggage  and  postal  van,  and  several 
empty  freight-cars.  The  line  follows  the  general  direction 
of  the  Paraguassu  River,  though  at  some  distance  from  it 
until  near  the  terminus.  We  turned  at  first  directly  away 
from  the  river,  and  began  ascending  a series  of  low  hills. 
The  face  of  the  country  was  covered  with  second-growth  for- 
ests. There  were  many  stops,  though,  at  but  only  the  small- 
est of  villages,  and  during  the  latter  half  of  the  journey  the 
land  appeared  to  be  devoid  of  settlements.  The  road  is  run 
through  a fiat  country  to  save  expense,  but  at  a distance  of 
ten  miles  on  either  side  it  is  very  fertile  and  well  culti- 
vated. It  is  a tobacco-growing  region,  but,  as  I have  hinted, 
little  of  this  plant  was  in  actual  sight  from  the  line.  The 
country  in  the  far  distance  was  level  or  undulating,  and 
quite  uninteresting  until  about  half  the  journey  was  com- 
pleted, when,  near  the  station  of  Tanquinho,  the  hills  as- 
sumed an  appearance  similar  to  those  round  about  the  Bay 
of  Bio  Janeiro.  I saw  even  a huge  rock  fac-simile  of  the 
Sugar-Loaf,  and  another  of  the  table-topped  Gavea.  Some 
great  domes  of  solid  rock  were  visible,  and  in  the  face  of  a 
few  hills  were  large  caverns,  one  above  the  other.  These 
cavities  were  open  their  full  size,  and  presented  a very 
strange  appearance.  The  theory  of  their  origin  is  that  softer 
veins  of  the  rock,  disintegrating  through  many  centuries, 
have  left  the  deep  hollows  in  this  condition.  It  does  not  seem 
possible  that  they  can  have  been  made  by  primitive  man. 
Once  or  twice  we  saw  the  Paraguassu  River,  and  then  for 
hours  we  coursed  over  a comparatively  level  plain,  where  all 
that  seemed  necessary  to  make  a railway  was  to  lay  down  the 
sleepers  and  put  the  rails  upon  them.  The  landscape  dis- 
played a large  proportion  of  palms  and  cacti,  and  many  trees 
covered  with  the  beautiful  Spanish  moss.  About  five  o’clock 
we  reached  the  terminus,  a short  street  with  a few  wretched 
stores  and  a score  of  mud- walled  and  palm-thatched  huts. 
Two  days’  mule-back  ride  from  here  are  some  surface  dia- 
mond-washings, but  the  upper  stratum  supply  is  nearly  ex- 
hausted, and  they  are  going  to  mine  for  them.  It  is  about 


314  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  hence  to  the  nearest  large  town 
on  the  great  San  Francisco  Fiver.  My  car  having  been  side- 
shunted,  I was  served  with  an  excellent  dinner,  and,  after  a 
good  night’s  rest  in  the  cool  country  air,  I returned,  on  the 
following  morning,  to  Cachoeira,  and  on  the  next  succeeding 
took  the  steamer  back  to  Bahia. 


i 


CHAPTEE  XXXVI. 


ON  THE  SAN  FRANCISCO. 

From  Bahia  I intended  to  visit  the  great  rapids  of  the 
San  Francisco — called  Paulo  Alfonso — which  are  situated 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  its  mouth  and  the 
Atlantic.  I took  passage,  therefore,  first  in  a steamer  of  the 
“Bahia  Steam  Navigation  Company”  (a  Brazilian  line, 
which  plies  between  Victoria,  the  capital  of  the  province  of 
Espiritu  Santo,  on  the  south,  and  Pernambuco,  the  capital  of 
the  province  of  Pernambuco,  on  the  north),  to  Penedo,  a 
small  town  twenty-five  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  San 
Francisco,  whence  the  journey  might  be  continued  by  river- 
steamer,  railway,  and  mule-back.  The  ocean-steamer  was  a 
side-wlieeler  of  about  six  hundred  tons  burden.  The  officers 
and  crew  were  Brazilians,  the  engineers  English.  We  car- 
ried a great  quantity  of  miscellaneous  freight  and  a full  list 
of  passengers.  Before  leaving  I was  obliged  to  have  my 
passport  viseed,  and  to  pay  two  hundred  reis  for  a stamp  ; at 
Eio  there  was  no  charge  for  the  vise.  But  is  it  not  time  to 
do  away  with  the  system  of  passports  ? Eussia  and  Brazil 
are  the  only  large  and  important  nations  which  require  them 
at  the  present  day. 

We  made  our  first  call  at  a custom-house  on  the  river 
Piauhy,  in  the  province  of  Sergipe,  anchoring  about  ten 
miles  from  the  ocean,  while  the  town  of  Estancia,  for  which 
we  carried  freight  and  passengers,  was  about  twenty  miles 
above.  Our  steamer,  however,  could  go  no  higher,  and 
great  sailing-canoes  are  employed  for  the  remaining  distance. 
The  mouth  of  the  river  is  marked  by  two  parallel  lines  of 


316  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


breakers,  and  is  not  more  than  one  thousand  feet  in  width. 
Small  villages  of  mud  and  straw  huts  stand  in  groves  of 
palms  upon  both  the  shores.  At  daylight  the  next  morning 
we  left  for  Aracaju,  the  capital  of  the  province  of  Sergipe, 
situated  on  a small  river  about  three  miles  from  the  ocean. 
We  steam  slowly  along,  in  plain  sight  of  the  shore,  which  is 
low  and  sandy,  and  reach  Aracaju  about  noon.  The  entrance 
to  the  river  is  narrow  and  winding,  with  giant  breakers  dash- 
ing themselves  into  white  foam  upon  the  sand-banks  on  each 
hand.  It  is  necessary  to  keep  exactly  in  the  channel,  as  the 
stranded  wreck  of  a steamer  clearly  shows.  As  it  was,  the 
captain  said  we  had  but  two  feet  of  water  under  the  steam- 
er’s bottom  in  crossing  the  bar.  It  is,  besides,  so  rough  on 
all  these  river-bars,  that  the  port-holes  are  always  carefully 
closed  until  the  passage  has  been  made.  The  town  of  Ara- 
caju is  of  single-story  houses,  laid  out  with  broad  streets  and 
sidewalks.  The  President’s  Palace,  House  of  Delegates, 
and  other  public  buildings,  are  all  exceedingly  plain,  and 
rather  dilapidated.  From  the  tower  of  the  large  cathedral  a 
good  view  can  be  obtained  of  the  town  and  surrounding 
country,  which  is  mostly  low-lying,  and  covered  with  cocoa- 
palms.  The  next  morning  we  left  for  Penedo.  The  coast 
was  low  and  sandy  all  the  way.  Hearing  the  mouth  of  the 
San  Francisco,  the  ocean  was  tinged  a deep  yellow  ten  miles 
from  land.  The  entrance  is  like  that  of  most  of  the  rivers 
on  the  coast  of  Brazil,  narrowed  and  made  dangerous  by 
sand-bars.  Here  the  bar  forms  nearly  a complete  circle. 
Upon  the  left  is  the  low,  wooded  island  of  Arumbipe,  with 
a lofty  round  lighthouse  at  its  southern  extremity.  A few 
fishermen’s  huts  stood  here  and  upon  the  opposite  point. 
At  the  entrance  the  river  flows  with  a swift  current,  and 
seems  to  be  about  a mile  in  width.  Farther  up  it  is  wdder, 
though  the  many  islands  make  it  difficult  to  tell  the  exact 
width.  We  pass,  upon  the  right,  a small  village  bearing  the 
euphonious  name  of  Piassabossu.  It  consists  mostly  of 
sugar-factories,  and  warehouses  filled  with  cotton — the  two 
leading  products  of  the  province  of  Alagoas,  which  lies  to 


ON  THE  SAN  FRANCISCO. 


317 


tlie  north  of  the  river  San  Francisco,  while  the  province  of 
Sergipe  faces  the  southern  bank.  Alagoas  contains  twice  as 
great  a population  as  Sergipe.  As  we  go  on,  numerous  clus- 
ters of  huts  are  seen  upon  both  banks.  The  country,  how- 
ever, is  low,  and,  where  not  planted  with  sugar-cane,  is  cov- 
ered with  dense  scrub.  Finally,  we  pass,  upon  the  right 
bank,  a small  village  called  Villa  Nova,  which  may  be  re- 
garded as  a suburb  of'  Penedo,  situated  upon  the  opposite 
bank  and  a little  above.  Penedo  shows  well  from  the  river 
— here  a little  less  than  a mile  in  width — built  as  it  is  upon 
a point  of  laud  which  rises  high,  and  then  slopes  gently  back- 
ward. At  dusk  we  reach  our  wharf,  and  make  everything 
snug  for  the  night,  intending  to  sleep  on  board. 

Early  in  the  morning  I landed,  passing  through  a large 
warehouse  belonging  to  the  steamer  company,  and  filled  with 
ox-hides,  bales  of  cotton,  bags  of  cotton-seed  for  making  oil, 
and  sacks  of  colfee  and  rice.  The  principal  business  of 
Penedo  may  be  said  to  be  the  export  of  cotton,  sugar,  and 
hides.  The  hotel  was  near  by,  a single-story  building  kept 
by  an  Italian  woman,  as  I discovered  upon  clapping  my 
hands  loudly  at  the  front  door.  In  South  America,  by-the- 
by,  you  seldom  find  door-bells — iron  knockers  supplying 
their  place.  In  Penedo  and  many  other  places,  within  the 
South  American  tropics,  it  is  so  warm  that  the  doors  of  the 
houses  always  stand  open,  and  the  method  of  announcing  a 
call  is  simply  to  stand  in  the  street  and  clap  the  hands,  when 
some  inmate  wfill  probably  come  from  the  distant  rear  of  the 
house  and  invite  you  to  enter  the  sitting-room,  with  its 
always  geometrically  arranged  sofa  and  chairs.  I obtained  a 
comfortable  room,  with  a cement  floor,  which  is  cool  and 
healthful,  but  the  walls  ran  only  about  two  thirds  of  the  way 
to  the  roof — a plan  that  makes  perfect  quiet  an  impossibility 
either  by  day  or  night.  The  streets  of  Penedo,  saving  that 
which  runs  close  along  the  river,  are  rather  steep ; some  of 
them  are  paved  with  huge  flat  blocks,  others  with  small 
stones,  but  most  of  them  are  unpaved.  The  town  is  lighted 
by  oil-lamps,  set  in  great  iron  sconces  attached  to  the  sides  of 


318  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


the  buildings.  It  contains  seven  churches  and  several  schools 
both  public  and  private.  The  “ Jornal  do  Penedo  ” is  a 
little  sheet,  about  a foot  square,  which  is  published  semi- 
weekly, at  a cost,  for  a single  subscription,  of  four  dollars  per 
annum.  Advertising  in  this  periodical  is  probably  as  cheap 
as  in  any  newspaper  in  the  world,  being  but  forty  reis  (or 
about  two  cents)  a line.  I found  the  short  street  adjoining 
the  river  crowded  with  market-people,  most  of  whom  had 
come  from  great  distances  in  their  canoes  to  dispose  of  their 
produce.  These  canoes  thickly  lined  the  bank,  and  from 
their  sails  many  of  their  owners  had  improvised  tents.  At 
one  end  of  the  street  were  the  pack-mules  which  had  brought 
that  part  of  the  produce  not  fetched  by  the  river-boats.  The 
market  contained  the  usual  profuse  tropical  variety  of  food, 
which  was  offered  for  sale  in  any  quantity  and  at  extremely 
cheap  rates.  In  fact,  the  only  coins  in  circulation  seemed  to 
be  of  copper.  Many  people  had  also  little  stands  of  manu- 
factured goods,  and  a few  were  selling  cooked  food  of  vari- 
ous kinds.  The  scene  was  very  animated,  and  the  amount  of 
chatting  and  cheapening  in  progress  was  remarkable.  The 
natives  are  very  fond  of  the  sights  and  gossip  of  one  of  these 
fairs — it  was  the  weekly  market — and  will  often  pass  half  a 
day  in  purchasing  a few  cents’  worth.  During  the  remainder 
of  the  day  I saw  scarcely  any  one  who  was  not  carrying  home 
some  purchase  or  other,  either  a basket  of  food,  or  a pair  of 
shoes,  or  a song-bird  in  a cage,  or  an  earthenware  jar,  or  a 
piece  of  coarse  cotton  for  a shirt  or  a dress.  A great  num- 
ber of  beggars  were  circling  around  at  the  fair,  some  of  them 
the  victims  of  loathsome  disease,  and  others  dreadful  cripples. 
They  seem  to  meet  with  moderate  success  from  the  market- 
people,  many  of  whom  give  them  either  particles  of  produce 
or  else  infinitesimal  copper  coins. 

I called  upon  the  vicar,  and  found  him  to  be  a very  in- 
telligent and  genial  old  gentleman,  who  had  resided  in  Pe- 
nedo for  fifteen  years.  He  gave  me,  in  lively  style,  much 
information  about  this  section  of  Brazil.  The  population  of 
Penedo  is  about  ten  thousand.  From  the  tower  of  the  cathe- 


ON  TEE  SAN  FRANCISCO. 


319 


dral  an  extended  view  may  be  obtained — first,  of  the  town, 
with  its  houses  set  thickly  next  the  river,  and  running  back 
in  two  long  streets  upon  the  ridge  to  the  eastward  ; second, 
of  the  comparatively  level  country,  covered  with  sugar-cane, 
or  cotton,  or  second-growth  forest ; and,  third,  of  the  great, 
muddy  river,  full  of  small  islands,  and  winding  and  doubling 
away  in  the  distance  toward  the  northwest.  Upon  its  swift 
current  glide  many  large  canoes,  mostly  sailing  up-stream, 
with  two  lateen-sails  spread  “ wing  and  wing  ” from  a sin- 
gle mast.  With  a strong,  steady  wind  these  canoes  will  go 
up-stream  about  as  fast  as  the  river-steamers.  They  are  large 
and  roomy,  and  have  straw-thatched  cabins  in  their  bows 
instead  of  in  their  sterns.  With  their  triangular,  outstretched 
sails  they  are  a very  picturesque  addition  to  the  river. 
Many  small  canoes  are  used  along  the  shores,  and  even  for 
crossing  the  river.  These  are  generally  propelled  with  pad- 
dles by  men  standing. 

One  evening,  about  nine  o’clock,  a large  religious  proces- 
sion paraded  the  principal  streets.  The  houses  were  all  il- 
luminated by  lamps  and  candles,  and  fire-works  were  intermit- 
tently discharged.  First  came  a number  of  men  with  rattles, 
which  they  used  to  announce  the  approach  of  the  ceremonial 
train.  Then  follow  a sacristan  bearing  a large  cross,  boys 
swinging  incense -censers,  and  two  long  lines  of  torch-bearers 
clothed  in  red  and  black  gowns.  Children  came  next,  dressed 
in  gay-colored  gauze,  with  wings,  to  counterfeit  angels.  A 
wooden  effigy  of  Christ,  borne  by  four  men,  was  then  in 
order,  and  my  friend  the  vicar,  followed  by  about  a thou- 
sand men,  walking  bareheaded,  singing  a plaintive  hymn. 
At  a little  distance  advanced  another  procession  of  similar 
character,  except  that  the  image  was  that  of  the  Virgin,  at- 
tended by  about  a thousand  women.  Meanwhile  the  bells 
of  the  churches  were  tolled.  These  people  are  very  relig- 
ious so  far  as  outward  observances  go,  but  they  have  little 
or  no  comprehension  of  theology.  They  worship,  but  do 
not  seem  to  know  exactly  what  or  why.  The  idea  of  a 
devotional  exercise  being  in  progress  was  altogether  absent 


320  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


from  most  of  the  members  of  the  great  procession  that  I 
had  witnessed.  They  seemed  quite  ignorant  of  the  signifi- 
cance and  solemnity  of  the  ceremony  in  which  they  were 
participants.  All  were  laughing  and  talking,  many  of  the 
men  were  smoking,  and  some  of  the  women  were  skylark- 
ing in  the  most  sportive  manner.  The  bearers  of  the  body 
of  the  suffering  Christ  were  so  overwhelmed  with  the  hu- 
mor of  some  joke  which  had  been  passed  around,  that  they 
staggered  in  a manner  that  threatened  to  make  the  effigy 
topple  over  upon  their  heads.  The  next  day  flags  were  at 
half-mast  on  all  the  Brazilian  vessels  in  the  river,  in  honor 
of  the  anniversary  of  the  crucifixion  of  Christ — Good-Friday. 
Elaborate  services  were  held  in  all  the  churches,  to  which 
the  people  were  summoned  by  means  of  great  wooden  rattles, 
shaken  by  men  running  through  the  streets.  As  it  was  a 
holiday,  troops  of  hatless  women,  in  gay-colored  calico  dresses, 
their  hair  dressed  with  flowers,  were  seen  going  churchward ; 
while  the  men,  rising  late,  passed  the  day  largely  in  visiting 
their  friends.  At  sunset  there  was  another  procession.  Sev- 
eral large  figures  exhibited  the  various  agonies  of  Christ 
previous  to  his  death,  and  on  a catafalque  his  body  was  rep- 
resented as  lying  dead  under  a pall.  This  was  escorted  by 
troops,  and  followed  by  a brass  band  playing  a dirge.  The 
beggars  were  out  in  tremendous  force,  and  were  generally 
rewarded  for  their  pains  by  gifts  of  money  or  food.  The 
celebration  of  Christ’s  resurrection  began  on  Sunday  noon. 
Work  was  resumed,  bells  wTere  rung,  fire-works  were  dis- 
charged, flags  were  hauled  from  half  to  full  mast,  and  effigies 
of  Judas  Iscariot  were  publicly  burned.  The  next  day  the 
final  parade  came  to  view,  accompanied  by  the  military  and  a 
brass  band  playing  lively  quicksteps.  A crown  of  one  of  the 
statues  of  Christ  becoming  disengaged,  the  procession  halted, 
while  some  one  brought  hammer  and  nails,  and  secured  it  in 
its  place.  In  the  evening  I went  to  the  Teatro  de  Yarieda- 
des,  where  a moderately  good  Portuguese  company  gave  two 
or  three  amusing  comediettas , interspersed  with  singing  and 
dancing.  The  brass  band  of  the  morning’s  parade  furnished 


ON  TEE  SAN  FRANCISCO. 


821 


the  music,  with  a superfluity  of  bass-drums  and  cymbals. 
The  doorway  was  nearly  blockaded  by  w^omen,  wdio  were 
squatting  upon  the  ground  and  steps,  and  engaged  in  selling 
fruit  and  sherbet.  The  people  in  the  parquette  smoked 
during  the  performance. 

Once  a week  a little  iron,  side-wheel  steamer  runs  from 
Penedo  to  Piranhas,  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  lower  San 
Francisco.  The  distance  is  about  a hundred  miles,  and  as 
the  current  has  a speed  of  three  knots  an  hour,  and  frequent 
stops  are  made,  two  days  are  needed  to  make  the  voyage.  I 
took  passage  on  the  first  steamer  that  left  after  my  arrival. 
There  were  two  classes  of  passengers — cabin  and  deck. 
Meals  were  served  the  former  on  the  after-deck,  under  an 
awning,  though  in  very  bad  weather  a large  saloon  below  is 
used.  There  were  no  state-rooms,  and  only  a few  benches  in 
the  saloon  for  those  who  wished  to  utilize  them  as  beds.  In 
the  extreme  stern  was  a small  cabin  for  ladies.  In  front  of 
the  funnel  was  a raised  deck,  where  a good  view  could  be 
obtained.  Near  the  wheel-house  was  the  detached  state-room 
of  the  captain,  and  opposite  it  was  another,  used  generally  by 
the  pilot,  but  kindly  put  at  my  service  by  the  agent  of  the 
line.  The  river  was  extremely  muddy,  of  a thick,  oily,  brown 
color.  It  ranged  from  half  a mile  to  a mile  in  width,  with  a 
very  tortuous  channel,  which  was  generally  about  twenty  feet 
deep.  During  the  rainy  season  the  lower  river  rises  some 
twelve  feet.  The  banks  were  at  first  low  and  smooth,  and 
covered  with  second-growth  timber,  and  occasionally  planted 
with  mandioc,  maize,  and  sugar-cane.  There  were  many  small 
villages,  and  almost  continuous  stretches  of  huts.  The  first 
large  town  at  which  we  stop  is  called  Propria.  It  is  upon 
the  right  bank,  built  upon  a gently  sloping  hill,  and  contains 
an  enormous  double-towered  church  which  stands  boldly 
forth  among  predominating  one-story  mud  huts.  The  river- 
bank  has  been  paved,  walled,  and  buttressed  with  huge  stones 
to  prevent  the  ever-active  encroachment  of  the  swiftly  flow- 
ing stream.  Going  on  from  Propria  the  appearance  of  the 
country  gradually  changes  ; smooth,  low  hills  and  many  pro- 
21 


322  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

jecting  ridges  occur.  In  the  distance,  to  the  northwest, 
range  appears  behind  range — none,  however,  very  high.  The 
wind  blows  strongly  from  the  ocean,  and  many  large  boats, 
with  outstretched  sails,  swiftly  move  up-stream.  The  two 
sails  are  so  arranged  on  the  mast  as  to  admit  of  being  simul- 
taneously furled.  The  operation  reminds  one  of  a bird  fold- 
ing its  wings.  The  wind,  however,  blows  in  such  sudden 
and  violent  gusts  around  some  of  the  sharp  bends  of  the 
river,  that  unless  a canoe  is  properly  loaded,  or  ballasted,  and 
very  carefully  handled,  it  is  in  danger  of  capsizing.  These 
boats  naturally  hug  the  shores  in  ascending,  but  lower  their 
masts  and  are  rowed  in  the  middle  of  the  stream  in  descend- 
ing the  river.  After  passing  many  villages,  the  next  towm 
above  Propria  is  called  Traipu,  picturesquely  situated  on  a 
ridge  upon  the  left  bank.  Its  white  church  makes  a very 
prominent  mark  against  the  green  background  of  trees.  On 
the  other  side,  but  a little  below,  are  three  noticeable  hills, 
which  are  styled  the  a Three  Brothers.”  On  the  same  bank, 
a short  distance  higher  up,  at  a village  of  a single  street  facing 
the  river,  and  appropriately  called  Curral  de  Pedras  (a  corral 
of  stones),  we  anchor  near  the  shore  for  the  night.  The 
boilers  of  our  steamer  are  fired  with  cotton-seed,  which  makes 
a cheap  and  very  hot  fire,  though,  of  course,  not  so  enduring 
a one  as  wood. 

We  started  on,  up  the  river,  at  five  in  the  morning. 
The  banks  now  consisted  of  rocky  hills,  from  fifty  to  three 
hundred  feet  in  height,  and  covered  with  cacti  and  low, 
scrubby  trees.  The  villages  became  less  numerous,  the  line 
of  huts  less  continuous.  In  one  place  we  passed  a pictur- 
esque church,  upon  the  top  of  a small,  dome-shaped  hill ; 
in  another,  a cemetery  laid  out  upon  a similar  knoll.  Fish- 
pounds  were  niched  in  the  angles  of  the  river  and  at  the 
mouths  of  little  streams  that  entered  it.  The  width  of  the 
San  Francisco  had  now  diminished  to  less  than  half  a mile, 
though  its  tortuousness  remained  the  same.  The  next  village 
at  which  we  stopped  was  Pao  d’Assucar,  or  Sugar-Loaf,  so 
named  from  a conical  rocky  hill  standing  near  the  bank. 


ON  THE  SAN  FRANCISCO . 


323 


As  we  advanced  the  river  gradually  narrowed,  until,  in  some 
places,  it  was  not  more  than  a thousand  feet  wide.  The 
scenery  had  been  very  pretty  all  the  way  from  Curral  de 
Pedras.  In  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  we  saw,  down  a long 
reach  of  the  river,  Piranhas  and  the  white  walls  and  clock- 
tower  of  its  railway-station. 

The  town,  as  we  approached,  presented  an  extraordinary 
appearance,  lying  in  a regular  gulch  washed  out  of  the  steep 
hill-side.  The  situation  seemed  as  odd  and  inaccessible  as 
that  of  some  of  the  Swiss  villages.  Hot  only  were  there  no 
two  houses  upon  the  same  level,  but  the  paths  between  them 
ran  in  tangents,  back  and  forth,  up  the  sides  of  the  valley, 
like  goat-tracks,  and  almost  as  steep  as  ordinary  staircases. 
The  town  was  very  small,  and  consisted,  for  the  most  part, 
of  mud  huts.  The  only  level  ground  anywhere  in  view  was 
the  inclosure  of  the  railway-station,  which  had  been  formed 
artificially,  and  with  great  walls  of  masonry  on  each  side. 
It  included  a pretty  little  depot,  car-houses,  freight-ware- 
rooms,  and  machine-shops,  extending  for  a long  distance  upon 
the  river-bank.  Immediately  above  Piranhas  the  San  Fran- 
cisco is  full  of  rocks  and  reefs,  and  the  accompanying  rapids 
prevent  the  further  progress  not  only  of  steamers,  but  of 
native  boats  as  well.  Ho  good  hotel  exists  in  Piranhas,  and 
I esteem  myself  fortunate  in  getting  quarters  with  an  old 
Portuguese  resident,  a gentleman  who  owns  the  best  portion 
of  the  town — that  is,  the  short  street  which  contains  the 
stores.  From  almost  any  part  there  are  good  views  down 
the  river,  whence  comes  a strong  and  refreshing  breeze  every 
afternoon.  The  mornings  are  apt  to  be  exceedingly  sultry. 
At  least  a hundred  boys  came  down  to  the  beach  to  see  us 
arrive,  while  a hundred  men  stood  eagerly  looking  on  from 
the  shade  of  buildings  upon  the  bank ; and  above,  upon  the 
hill-side,  hundreds  of  women  peered  curiously  forth  from 
doors  and  windows.  The  river  is  deep,  and  we  are  secured 
directly  against  the  sandy  beach.  The  steamer  remains  but 
twenty-four  hours,  and  then  returns  to  Penedo.  Steamers 
have  now  been  running  on  the  lower  San  Francisco  over 


324:  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 

twenty  years.  The  railway  from  Piranhas  to  Jatoba,  on  the 
upper  river,  passing  around  the  rapids  of  Paulo  Alfonso,  is 
about  eighty  miles  in  length,  belongs  to  the  Imperial  Govern- 
ment, and  has  been  built  about  live  years.  It  is  a narrow 
gauge,  and  runs  two  passenger-trains  each  way  during  the 
week.  About  six  hours  are  required  to  make  the  journey. 
Before  the  completion  of  this  railway,  all  the  trade  of  the 
great  river  between  Piranhas  and  Jatoba — all  the  produce 
which  came  down,  and  all  the  foreign  manufactured  goods 
which  went  up — had  to  be  transported  by  horses  and  mules, 
the  long  series  of  falls  and  rapids  of  the  river  between  those 
points  preventing  navigation.  Even  now  the  same  primitive 
means  are  largely  employed.  It  is  fortunate  for  most  of  the 
inhabitants  living  along  the  lower  San  Francisco,  that  the 
river  supplies  many  large  and  excellent  fish,  and  that  the 
poor  soil  at  least  grows  mandioc,  maize,  and  beans.  Other- 
wise starvation  would  seem  inevitable.  The  people  of  Piran- 
has are  exceedingly  poor.  They  appear  to  have  scarcely  any 
furniture,  and  their  cooking-utensils  are  of  the  simplest  and 
rudest  construction.  Most  of  the  families  keep  a few  goats, 
using  the  milk  fresh,  and  making  cheese  from  it,  and  also 
eating  the  flesh.  However,  as  you  go  into  the  interior,  on 
either  side  of  the  river,  the  land  improves  and  becomes  quite 
fertile.  Nothing  of  very  special  interest  is  to  be  seen  in 
Piranhas  itself,  but  about  two  miles  distant,  up  a winding 
valley  to  the  southeast,  is  a remarkable  natural  curiosity,  a 
great  heap  of  rocks,  some  of  them  wonderfully  balanced,  and 
one  small  slab  which  the  natives  call  Pedra  do  Sino  (the 
bell-stone).  Upon  being  struck  with  an  iron  hammer,  it  emits 
a ringing  sound  exactly  like  that  of  metal.  1 obtain  a guide 
and  visit  this  rarity.  The  valley  and  hills  are  of  loose  and 
disintegrated  rock  and  gravel,  with  a scrub  vegetation.  At 
one  place  was  a mineral  spring,  the  strongest  flavor  of  which 
was  salt.  The  pedra  lies  at  the  extremity  of  a rocky  ridge, 
in  a narrow  valley,  a short  distance  back  from  the  river. 
Here  is  a great  heap  of  rocks,  about  forty  feet  long,  twenty 
wide,  and  ten  high.  These  rocks  are  perhaps  a hundred  in 


ON  THE  SAN  FRANCISCO. 


325 


number,  mostly  smooth  on  their  surface,  and,  though  cracked 
and  broken  and  wedged  together  in  many  directions,  they 
still  made  an  exceedingly  firm  pile.  Upon  the  summit,  at 
one  end,  is  a huge  block  balanced  upon  two  smaller  ones,  not 
vertically,  but  at  a considerable  angle.  Moreover,  the  thick- 
est part  is  at  the  top.  None  of  these  rocks  give  forth  any 
peculiar  sound  when  struck,  but  in  front  of  the  pile,  and 
nearly  at  its  foot,  upon  one  side,  is  the  famous  Pedra  do  Sino. 
This  is  simply  a block  of  ordinary  stone  (granite  ?)  like  all 
the  rest,  about  five  feet  long,  a foot  wide,  and  eight  inches 
thick.  It  is  considerably  wider  at  one  end  than  at  the  other. 
It  rests  upon  the  sharp,  angular  edges  of  four  smaller  stones, 
two  at  each  end.  When  struck  with  an  iron  hammer  (one 
brought  along  for  the  purpose),  it  sends  forth  a sharp,  ringing 
sound,  like  that  of  a large  iron  or  copper  basin.  I examined 
this  block  very  carefully,  but  failed  to  detect  anything  out  of 
the  common  in  its  exterior.  A deep  path  has  been  worn 
leading  to  this  geological  curiosity,  as  its  extraordinary  char- 
acter appeals  very  directly  to  the  imagination  of*  the  simple- 
minded  natives. 


CHAPTEE  XXXV II. 


THE  KING  OF  KAPIDS. 

I left  Piranhas  by  the  seven-o’clock  morning  train  for 
the  station  of  Sinimbu,  which  is  about  fifty  miles  distant. 
The  cars  and  locomotives  are  of  American  manufacture. 
There  were  a good  many  second-class  passengers,  but  only 
two  or  three  in  the  first-class  compartment.  The  railway 
leads,  at  first,  by  a three-per-cent  grade  up  to  the  top  of  the 
hills,  or  rather  table-land,  and  follows  the  course  of  the  river 
for  a short  distance.  The  construction  of  this  part  of  the 
road  must  have  been  quite  expensive.  Over  the  rest  of  the 
way  the  expense  was  limited  to  laying  the  sleepers  upon  the 
level  ground,  and  fastening  the  rails  upon  them.  The  trains 
could  then  be  started  at  once.  Before  the  railroad  wTas  built, 
this  section  of  country  was  quite  uninhabited : first,  because 
of  the  scarcity  of  water ; and,  second,  because  the  soil  would 
produce  nothing.  Even  now  there  are  but  a few  huts  at 
each  station.  In  the  rainy  season  some  surface-water  is 
found,  and  even  brooks  become  full  for  a time,  but  at  other 
periods  the  people  have  sometimes  to  transport  from  a great 
distance  all  the  water  which  they  use.  Attached  to  all  the 
locomotives  are  cars  bearing  great  iron  tanks  of  water  for 
the  boilers.  The  country  was  generally  level,  or  undulating, 
and  covered  with  stunted  trees,  cacti,  and  low  scrub ; but 
at  Sinimbu  a short  range  of  smooth  hills  stretched  away  to 
the  west,  and  to  the  south  I saw  a few  tall  conical  peaks. 
At  Sinimbu  I obtained  horses,  and  rode  across  to  the  great 
rapids  of  Paulo  Affonso,  about  ten  miles  distant.  A road 
twenty  feet  in  width  had  been  cut  through  the  scrub,  and 


THE  KING  OF  RAPIDS. 


327 


the  track  in  the  middle  of  it  served  ns  very  well.  But  such 
a soil ! — all  white  sand,  yellow  gravel,  and  gray  and  brown 
rocks ! When  about  half-way,  I distinctly  heard  the  dull, 
steady  roar  of  a cataract,  and  at  one  point  I caught  a glimpse 
of  two  or  three  columns  of  mist  gracefully  rising  in  the  air. 
Near  the  river,  and  just  above  the  first  fall,  is  the  only  dwell- 
ing in  the  neighborhood,  a mud  hut  with  three  rooms,  one  of 
which  I secured  for  my  baggage  and  provisions ; for,  being 
forewarned,  I carried  my  own  food-supply.  I lived  for  two 
days  at  the  rapids,  and  slept  in  a hammock,  slung  under 
an  arbor  adjoining  the  hut.  The  latter  belonged  to  a ya- 
queiro , or  herdsman,  an  old  man  who  had  dwelt  there,  he 
said,  twenty-six  years.  With  him  were  living  his  wife  and 
his  two  daughters  and  their  husbands,  who  were  cousins. 
Between  them  there  was  a fair  assortment  of  little  children, 
who  played  about  in  a state  of  paradisiacal  nudity.  Their 
mothers  almost  did  the  same,  wearing  only  chemise  and 
skirt,  much  abbreviated  at  top  and  bottom.  The  men  wore 
only  shirts  and  drawers,  of  coarse  cotton,  which  might  once, 
many  years  ago,  have  been  white,  sandals  of  two  or  three 
thicknesses  of  rawhide,  and  hats  made  of  leather.  They 
carried  long,  narrow  knives  in  a sheath  at  their  belts,  and, 
attached  to  a string  worn  over  the  shoulder,  a little  bag, 
which  contained  a pipe,  tobacco,  flint,  Steel,  and  tinder.  In 
front  of  the  hut  was  a large  onibu , a tree  giving  good  shade 
for  a hammock  or  dinner-table,  and  near  by  were  several 
corrals  for  the  cattle.  The  animals  upon  which  this  family 
subsist  consist  of  about  two  hundred  goats  and  sheep,  six 
cows,  and  some  pigs  and  chickens.  They  make  cheese  of 
the  goats’  milk,  but  no  butter  from  either  that  or  the  milk  of 
the  cows.  They  are  so  poor  that  they  do  not  possess  either 
tea  or  coffee,  or  any  vegetable  save  mandioc.  All  their  cook- 
ing is  done  out  of  doors  upon  two  or  three  stones,  which 
support  the  wood  and  kettles.  They  have  neither  candles 
nor  matches. 

Directly  in  front  of  the  hut — that  is  to  say,  between  it  and 
the  San  Francisco — is  a small  inlet  from  the  river,  of  which 


328  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


several  are  found  hereabout,  and  which  the  people  style  a 
vai-vem , literally  a go-and-come,”  from  the  fact  that  the 
water  at  regular  intervals  sets  up  them  in  a sort  of  tidal  wave. 
These  inlets  are  filled  with  fine,  smooth  sand.  The  vai-vems 
are  all  wedge-shaped,  and  a great  eddy  at  their  wide  mouths 
forces  the  water  up,  while  gravity  takes  it  back.  In  sight  of 
the  hut,  a little  way  down  the  river,  is  a pile  of  rock  upon 
which  has  been  erected  a large  bronze  tablet  commemorating 
the  visit  of  the  Emperor  in  1859.  Opposite  this  tablet  the 
river  is  only  about  ten  feet  below  the  level  of  the  plain,  but 
during  the  next  quarter  of  a mile  it  makes  a descent  of  two 
hundred  and  sixty  feet.  A mile  above  the  great  rapids  it  is 
half  a mile  in  width,  immediately  above  them  it  is  but  five 
hundred  feet  wide,  while  just  below  them  it  is  only  a hun- 
dred feet.  Turning  from  the  memorial  to  Dom  Pedro,  I 
followed  my  guide  to  the  edge  of  the  river.  The  sight  that 
here  burst  upon  my  eyes  was  one  of  tumultuous  grandeur,  at 
once  beautiful  and  frightful.  I beheld  the  “ King  of  Kapids,” 
for  there  is  none  greater  on  earth ! The  banks  are  flanked 
with  masses  of  broken  and  cracked  rock,  and  large  and  small 
bowlders  of  a brown  color,  smoothly  worn.  The  rapids 
above  the  cataracts  remind  me  of  those  below  Niagara,  only 
here  the  water  is  of  a brownish-yellow,  instead  of  a whitish- 
green,  but  there  is  the  same  terrific  speed — here  fully  thirty 
miles  an  hour — the  same  leaping  and  eddying,  the  same  foam 
and  spray. 

There  are,  exactly  speaking,  seven  great  cataracts  of  Paulo 
Atfonso,  three  in  the  middle  of  the  river,  separated  by  small, 
rocky  islands,  and  four  toward  the  right  bank.  Paulo  Af- 
fonso,  of  course,  partakes  more  of  the  nature  of  gigantic 
rapids  than  of  falls.  At  least,  one  discovers  no  vertical 
tumbles  over  precipices  throughout  the  distance  of  a quarter 
of  a mile  and  two  hundred  and  sixty  feet,  in  which  the  river 
changes  its  level.  You  might  rather  say  that  the  cataracts 
dispose  themselves  in  several  terraces.  Just  at  the  first  one 
is  a semicircle  of  black,  jagged  rocks  which,  taken  with  the 
abyss  into  which  the  water  here  falls,  make  a wild  and  awful 


The  King  of  Rapids. 


THE  KING  OF  EAPIDS. 


329 


picture.  So  dense  is  the  vapor  that  I doubt  if  it  would  be 
possible,  from  any  foothold,  to  see  the  bottom  of  this  gigan- 
tic caldron.  There  is  a mighty  and  constant  roar,  which 
seems  to  come  from  every  direction,  and  the  spray  dances 
and  shoots  upward  several  hundred  feet.  Across  the  river, 
and  a little  below,  are  three  fine  cataracts,  around  and  about 
which  you  see  bright-green  grass,  many  of  the  trees  in 
blossom  ; beyond,  a small  purple  peak  ; and,  above  all,  a crys- 
tal sky  of  the  most  delicate  blue.  You  leap  at  once  from  a 
Dantean  Inferno  to  a Thomsonian  Arcadia ; though  I must 
add  that  these  rapids,  both  above  and  below  the  cataracts, 
are  awful  rather  than  beautiful,  magnificent  rather  than 
lovely.  The  rocks,  the  roar,  the  several  turns,  the  impossi- 
bility of  seeing  the  bottom  where  the  greatest  body  of  water 
makes  its  first  descent,  the  perpendicular  walls  of  smooth 
stone — all  are  terrible  and  awe-inspiring.  Some  idea  of  the 
great  force  and  speed  of  the  water  may  be  gained  when  I 
say  that  several  of  the  cataracts  are  driven  between  ledges  of 
rock  not  fifty  feet  apart,  and  that  the  stone  channel  through 
which  the  water  from  the  four  largest  rapids  united  flows  is 
about  fifty  feet  wide,  and  makes  two  turns  almost  at  right 
angles  to  the  general  course  of  the  river.  Opposite  the  last 
sharp  turn  is  a cliffi  of  smooth  brown  rock,  about  two  hun- 
dred feet  in  height.  A good  general  view  of  all  the  cataracts 
may  be  obtained  from  this  point,  to  which  you  may  proceed 
on  horseback.  It  is  called  the  “ Emperor’s  View,”  having 
been  his  Majesty’s  favorite  coigne  of  vantage.  But  the 
grandest  rapid,  as  it  tumbles  nearly  at  right  angles  to  the 
general  direction  of  the  river,  is  not  visible.  This  may  be 
best  seen  from  the  opposite  (or  Bahia)  shore.  To  get  there, 
however,  you  must  go  up  the  river  about  five  miles,  cross  in 
a canoe,  and  walk  down,  carrying  tent  and  provisions.  To 
the  right  of  the  “ Emperor’s  View,”  at  the  lower  corner  of 
the  bluff,  is  a large  grotto,  or  cave,  entered  by  scrambling 
down  an  old  dry  water-course  near  its  entrance.  This  cave  is 
some  five  hundred  feet  long,  a hundred  high,  and  fifty  wide. 
It  is  oval  in  shape,  and  its  roof  bears  a fine  simulation  of 


330  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


stars.  The  sides  are  composed  of  a brown  soft  stone.  The 
floor  is  uneven,  and  covered  with  rubbish  and  dirt.  Only 
bats  frequent  this  cavern,  and  the  Brazilians  style  it  the 
Furna  dos  Morcegos , or  V ampire  G-rotto.  Below  the  “ Em- 
peror’s Yiew”  the  river  takes  another  turn,  and  is  here  about 
a hundred  feet  wide,  bordered  with  bluffs  three  hundred  feet 
in  height.  A short  distance  down,  on  the  right  bank,  are 
three  large  falls  adjoining  each  other — in  fact,  pouring  from 
the  same  branch  of  the  river.  They  drop  for  quite  two  hun- 
dred feet  and  are  remarkably  fine.  I do  not  know  that  there 
is  anywhere  in  the  world  any  series  of  rapids  to  be  compared 
with  the  Paulo  Affonso.  It  is  a most  marvelous  and  thrilling 
sight,  which  well  repays  the  toil  and  hardships  of  a visit.  The 
time  may  come,  even,  when  the  wretched  mud  huts,  where 
I slung  my  hammock  and  ate  my  jerked  beef  and  cassava- 
bread,  will  be  turned  into  a magnificent  “ Cataract  House  ” 
— but  things  move  with  inordinate  slowness  in  Brazil. 

I returned  to  Sinimbu  and  took  the  train  to  Jatoba,  the 
western  terminus  of  the  railroad.  The  country  remained  of 
the  same  generally  sterile  character.  Jatoba  is  a village  of 
about  a thousand  inhabitants,  lying  upon  the  left  bank  of  the 
river,  on  a plain  containing  ample  room  for  a city,  the  streets 
and  squares  of  which,  on  an  extended  scale,  have  been 
already  planned  by  the  Government.  But  the  land  here- 
about produces  nothing,  so  it  is  doubtful  if  the  idea  of  a 
city  will  be  very  soon  realized.  The  station-house  is  a large 
two-story  building,  and  directly  before  it,  in  the  river,  a 
splendid  cut-stone  embankment  and  landing-stairs,  with  a 
great  iron  crane  for  raising  freight  from  the  river-boats,  have 
been  built.  Upward  from  Jatoba  the  river  is  smooth  and 
quiet,  and  flows  with  a gentle  current.  It  is  navigable,  with 
one  exception,  right  away  up  to  Sahara,  on  its  branch,  the 
Bio  das  Yelhas — upon  which  I made  a little  voyage,  as 
already  described — fifteen  hundred  miles  distant.  The  single 
break  in  this  long  journey  is  a reef,  which  the  Government 
is  now  engaged  in  removing.  When  this  work  is  completed, 
two  little  iron  steamers  will  begin  to  ply  up  and  down  the 


THE  KING  OF  RAPIDS. 


331 


length  of  the  river.  These  steamers  have  been  already  built 
in  England,  and  have  been  brought  out  in  sections,  which  are 
now  being  put  together  at  a large  town,  named  Joazeiro, 
about  three  hundred  miles  from  Jatoba.  These  will  bring 
the  rich  produce  of  the  valley  of  the  San  Francisco  to  Jatoba, 
and  then  the  railway  around  the  rapids  of  Paulo  Affonso  will 
begin  to  achieve  the  object  for  which  it  was  originally  pro- 
jected. No  hotel  exists  at  Jatoba,  but  I find  most  hospitable 
accommodation  at  the  dwelling  of  an  official  of  the  railway. 
The  thirteen  chairs  in  this  gentleman’s  little  parlor  are  each 
covered  with  the  skin  of  an  ounce,  an  animal  resembling  the 
leopard,  and  very  prevalent  hereabout.  These  skins,  which 
have  a thick  fur,  irregular  faint  spots,  and  a long  tail, 
make  very  comfortable  backs  for  chairs.  I find  also  the  cot- 
ton hammocks,  swung  in  the  parlor,  very  agreeable  lounging- 
places.  My  bed,  made  of  one  of  the  many  beautiful,  dark, 
hard  woods  of  Brazil,  has  a huge  hide  placed  upon  its  mat- 
tress. This  I find  a little  hard,  though  cool  for  tropical 
weather.  The  table  is  bountifully  supplied  with  meat — sev- 
eral kinds,  or  perhaps  one  kind  cooked  in  different  ways.  It 
is  etiquette  to  eat  of  all.  My  host  gives  me  nice  bread,  but  does 
not  eat  any  himself ; he  is  contented  with  rice  and  cassava. 
Other  vegetables  are  not  provided ; nor  is  there  fruit.  Meals 
are  always  concluded  with  some  sort  of  marmalade,  with 
cheese  and  coffee.  Good  Portuguese  wine  is  drunk.  The 
entire  meal  is  placed  at  once  upon  the  table,  and  there  is  no 
division  of  courses.  A condiment  of  hot  peppers,  onions, 
lime-juice,  and  beef-soup  is  very  popular.  Limes  are  used, 
but  no  salt  or  black  pepper.  The  butter  comes  in  tins,  and 
is  of  French  manufacture.  After  a meal,  toothpicks  and 
cigarettes  are  invariably  passed  around.  The  women  of  the 
family  do  not  usually  appear  at  the  general  table,  at  least  not 
in  towns  remote  from  the  capital  and  large  cities.  We  are 
waited  upon  by  male  or  female  slaves,  and  a boy  is  always 
detailed  to  brush  the  flies  from  the  table  and  guests  with  a 
sort  of  feather-duster.  There  are  but  two  meals  a day,  gen- 
erally at  ten  and  five  o’clock. 


332  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


Two  miles  distant  from  Jatoba,  across  a level  stretch  of 
country  around  which  the  river  makes  a circular  bend,  are 
the  cataracts  of  Itaparica,  well  worthy  of  a visit.  A part  of 
the  San  Francisco  here  has  cut  and  worn  its  way  through  an 
enormous  ledge  of  a soft  kind  of  rock,  which  was  originally 
of  a reddish-brown  color,  but  which  the  sun  has  turned  black 
where  it  has  been  worn  by  the  water.  The  greater  bulk  of 
the  river  makes  a splendid  cataract,  of  about  sixty  feet,  at  a 
sharp  though  not  vertical  angle,  and  then  rushes  along  at  a 
rapid  decline  in  a line  series  of  rapids,  about  a hundred  feet 
in  width.  These  boil  and  seethe  and  fly  aloft,  and  are  white 
with  foam  and  spray,  recalling  once  more  to  me  those  of  Ni- 
agara. At  their  foot  they  strike  violently  against  the  rock- 
bordered  bank,  which  here  trends  away  at  nearly  a right 
angle.  These  rocks,  cut,  chiseled,  broken,  cracked,  and  pol- 
ished quite  smooth,  glisten  like  cannel-coal  under  a bright 
sun.  They  rise  thirty  feet  higher  than  the  river,  and  extend 
a hundred  feet  back  from  it.  Above  the  cataract  the  ledge 
has  divided  the  river  into  several  small  streams,  which  have 
opened  the  rock  in  extraordinary  fissures  of  every  fanciful 
shape.  Some  of  them  are  thirty  feet  deep,  and  not  more 
than  four  wide.  Hollows  abound,  like  the  pot-holes  of 
Switzerland : some  of  them  wells  two  feet  in  diameter  and 
twenty  feet  in  depth  ; others  kettle-shaped,  thirty  feet  in  di- 
ameter, and  as  many  deep.  All  these  hollows  and  holes  have, 
of  course,  been  worn  by  the  action  of  water  and  pebbles 
moving  and  churning  during  many  centuries.  Apparently, 
also,  the  water  of  the  river  has  in  some  distant  age  flowed 
entirely  over  this  great  ledge  of  rock,  but  now  small  streams 
alone  are  found  at  the  bottoms  of  the  fissures,  while  most  of 
the  excavations  are  filled  only  with  rain-water.  The  view  of 
all  these  rocks  and  chasms  and  rapids  from  the  river  below  is 
very  grand.  The  roar  of  the  cataract  is  so  great  that  it  may 
be  distinctly  heard  at  a distance  of  three  miles.  Near  the 
right  bank,  adjacent  to  the  rapids,  is  a scrub-covered  mount- 
ain, with  many  jagged  rock  exposures.  This,  and  the  green 
fringe  of  shrubs  above  the  crags,  make  a very  pleasing 


TEE  KING  OF  RAPIDS. 


333 


back  ground  to  the  ebony  ledge  and  the  brown  and  white 
torrent. 

Jatoba  and  Piranhas  are  turbulent,  lawless  places,  and  the 
natives  thereabout  are  little  more  than  half-civilized.  Ques- 
tions of  a political  nature  seem  . especially  to  infuriate  them. 
Just  before  my  arrival  at  Jatoba,  the  leaders  of  two  rival  fac- 
tions had  a street  encounter,  in  which  one  of  them  was  killed  ; 
whereupon  his  adherents  from  the  surrounding  country,  to 
the  number  of  about  one  hundred,  marched  into  Jatoba  and 
for  several  days  maintained  a terrible  scene  of  riot  and  blood- 
shed. In  Piranhas,  one  morning,  at  five  o’clock,  as  I was 
about  to  rise,  I heard  the  sharp  report  of  a musket.  My  host 
afterward  informed  me  that  a fellow-townsman  had  been  as- 
sassinated by  a man,  of  an  opposing  cabal,  who  came  from 
Jatoba  for  the  express  purpose.  The  murderer  escaped. 
When  I inquired  concerning  his  punishment  if  captured,  I 
was  told  it  would  be  imprisonment  for  life.  Practically 
there  is  no  such  thing  in  Brazil  as  capital  punishment,  though 
it  is  legal,  and  a life-sentence  means  simply — as  too  often 
with  us — an  early  pardon  upon  good  behavior,  conjoined 
with  high  influence. 

I returned  by  rail  to  Piranhas.  A queer  sight  here  is  the 
great,  white,  four-faced  clock  in  the  water-tower,  opposite  the 
railway-station.  It  strikes  the  hours  and  halves  for  a people 
who  are  utterly  without  comprehension  of  time  and  its  value. 
In  a double  sense  might  it  be  called  a striking  feature  of 
the  town.  It  bears  upon  its  front  the  name  of  the  maker, 
and  the  place  of  manufacture — Paris.  Piranhas  and  Paris, 
alas  ! have  nothing  in  common  save  their  alliteration.  For 
several  hours  in  the  morning  and  evening  the  women  of 
Piranhas  may  be  seen  toiling  up  and  down  the  almost  verti- 
cal sides  of  the  valley,  carrying  great  jars  of  river-water  upon 
their  heads.  Singly,  or  often  in  troops  of  half  a dozen,  they 
are  picturesque  figures,  with  easy,  graceful  carriage,  swarthy 
skin,  and  light-colored  garments.  The  evenings,  and  half 
the  nights,  are  generally  noisy  with  the  twanging  of  guitars 
and  the  warbling  of  love-ditties.  Did  one  not  hear  so  much 


334:  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


of  it,  this  music  would  be  very  pleasant.  The  voices  are 
frequently  good,  and  the  songs  quaint  and  plaintive,  or  sweet 
and  gay.  The  guitar  accompaniment,  too,  adds  a coloring, 
which  is  odd  and  primitive  to  a foreign  ear.  Brazilians  are 
exceedingly  fond  of  such  harmony,  and  you  will  rarely  see  a 
dozen  of  them  traveling  together  without  at  least  one  guitar. 

The  steamer  came  in  from  Penedo  a day  late,  having  de- 
layed for  a passenger  who  arrived  by  the  Pernambuco  line. 
It  is  a common  practice,  in  the  smaller  ports  and  rivers  of 
Brazil,  to  postpone  the  sailing  of  a vessel  several  hours, 
and  sometimes,  as  in  this  instance,  a whole  day,  for  a single 
passenger.  I left  Piranhas  the  following  morning,  at  six 
o’clock,  and  reached  Penedo,  once  more,  at  seven  in  the  even- 
ing. I had  to  wait  several  days  in  Penedo  for. the  steamer 
bound  for  Pernambuco,  and  when  I departed  it  was  to  go 
by  the  way  of  Maceio,  the  capital  of  the  province  of  Alagoas. 
We  had  to  spend  a night  at  anchor  just  within  the  mouth  of 
the  river,  to  wait  for  high  tide,  in  order  to  cross  the  bar.  The 
coast  was  low,  level,  and  sandy  all  the  way  to  Maceio,  which 
place  we  reached  about  sundown.  The  town  is  built  directly 
upon  the  ocean -shore,  which  is  here  a semicircle,  and  lined 
with  great  groves  of  cocoa-palms  and  bananas. 


The  Reef  and  Harbor  of  Pernambuco. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

THE  “CITY  OF  THE  REEF.” 

Two  days  from  the  time  of  leaving  Penedo  we  reached 
Pernambuco.  The  city,  lying  flat,  has  from  the  distant 
ocean  something  of'  the  appearance  of  Buenos  Ayres,  but 
upon  a nearer  approach  the  streets  and  buildings  hear  a 
greater  resemblance  to  Bahia  than  to  the  Argentine  capital. 
It  is,  however,  very  different  from  either,  in  respect  to  a 
long,  narrow  reef  of  rock  which,  at  about  flve  hundred  feet 
from  the  shore,  stretches  along  the  whole  front  of  the  city 
and  for  several  miles  beyond,  thus  making  within  it  a com- 
modious harbor  and  safe  anchorage  for  all  ships  and  steamers, 
save  those  of  the  very  deepest  draught.  Vessels  of  twenty-five 
hundred  tons  may  readily  enter ; larger  ones,  of  which  I saw 
' a few,  lie  in  the  offing}  about  two  miles  from  land.  Pernam- 
buco itself  stands  upon  comparatively  level  ground,  but  its 
suburb  to  the  north,  Olinda,  covers  several  prettily  sloping 
and  extremely  verdant  hills.  All  along  the  shore  are  great 
groves  of  cocoa-palms,  and  where  the  vessels  enter  the  reef- 
protected  harbor,  at  the  northern  end,  are  two  large  forts, 
not  more  than  half  a mile  apart,  the  tops  of  their  brick  walls 
showing  many  though  small  cannon.  At  the  extremity  of 
the  reef  is  a low  lighthouse,  and  just  beyond  it  are  a round 
tower,  and  a small  building  connected  with  the  revenue  de- 
partment. From  here  the  reef  proper,  which  at  high  tide  is 
barely  above  water-level,  has  been  topped  with  a brick  wall 
about  five  feet  in  height  and  ten  in  width.  The  great  ocean- 
swells,  as  they  roll  majestically  in,  break  against  this  barrier, 
and  dash  aloft  in  vast  clouds  of  fleecy  foam.  The  reef  near 
the  surface  of  the  water  is  about  fifty  feet  in  width.  At 


336  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMEBIC  A. 


regular  intervals  in  it  have  been  sunk  large  cannon  to  which 
ships  may  moor.  The  sea-front  of  the  city  is  a cemented, 
cut-stone  wall.  Vessels  lie  three  and  four  abreast,  just 
within  the  reef,  and  also  next  the  jetty,  leaving  the  central 
space  between  them  clear  for  traffic.  I noticed  two  or  three 
men-of-war,  three  or  four  steamers,  and  about  fifty  sailing- 
vessels,  mostly  barks  of  light  tonnage.  Pernambuco  is  a very 
bustling  place,  and  steamers  are  coming  or  going  almost  every 
day.  As  at  Bahia,  there  is  a street  with  “ Belgian  ” pave- 
ment adjoining  the  harbor;  and  here  also  at  one  point  is  a very 
small  sort  of  plaza,  in  which  are  a dozen  great  trees,  around 
whose  bases  circle  iron  settees,  filled  all  day  and  evening  by 
loiterers  and  curiosity-mongers.  The  houses  are  narrow,  but 
deep,  and  four  or  five  stories  in  height.  Here,  also,  you  find 
the  leading  banks,  sugar  and  cotton  firms,  the  hotels,  and  the 
fine  building  of  the  Commercial  Association.  From  my  room 
in  the  hotel  I look  into  the  reef-inclosed  harbor,  with  its  always 
interesting  stir  of  ships  and  sailors,  of  - steamers  and  passen- 
gers, of  stevedores  and  longshoremen,  and  away  beyond,  the 
view  is  closed  by  the  remote  commingling  of  sky  and  water. 
It  is  not  often  that  one  can  obtain  such  an  interesting  survey 
while  sitting  in  a comfortable  hotel,  not  thirty  feet  from  the 
ocean’s  edge.  At  night  I am  lulled  to  sleep  by  the  dull  even 
roar  of  the  surf,  beating  upon  the  neighboring  rocky  reef. 

Upon  a closer  inspection  I find  that  Pernambuco  lies  upon 
two  long,  narrow  peninsulas  and  the  mainland,  the  peninsulas 
being  formed  by  two  small  rivers  and  the  ocean.  The  sev- 
eral parts  are  connected  by  handsome  iron  and  stone  bridges. 
The  country  beyond  is  mostly  low,  filled  with  little  streams 
and  lakes,  and  sparsely  settled.  Everywhere  you  see  palms, 
bananas,  and  bamboos.  The  rich  merchants  possess  country- 
houses  west  of  the  city,  at  distances  varying  from  one  to 
eight  miles,  and  reached  by  two  or  three  lines  of  railroad. 
The  oldest  part  of  the  town  is  called  Recife,  the  Reef,  either 
from  the  fact  of  its  lying  next  the  reef,  or  because  it  is  itself 
upon  a sort  of  reef.  Here  the  streets  are  very  narrow  and 
crooked ; but,  upon  crossing  the  first  bridge  to  the  other 


THE  “ CITY  OF  THE  REEF. ” 


337 


and  larger  peninsula,  you  notice  a great  improvement ; the 
blocks  of  houses  become  much  larger,  the  streets  wider,  tram- 
cars  are  running  in  every  direction,  and  the  best  retail  stores 
display  their  wares.  In  the  river  Beberibe,  which  divides 
the  district  of  Recife  from  that  called  San  Antonio,  are  sev- 
eral lines  of  small  ships,  mostly  engaged  in  bringing  dried 
beef  from  the  Argentine  Republic,  and  dried  fish  from  New- 
foundland. Upon  the  Recife  side  is  the  custom-house,  a 
great,  square,  yellow  building,  with  high  and  broad  towers  at 
the  corners.  On  the  opposite  side  is  the  Arsenal  of  War. 
The  extreme  point  of  the  peninsula  of  San  Antonio  is  re- 
served for  the  President’s  house  and  gardens.  This  honse, 
or  palace,  as  it  is  flatteringly  called,  is  a square,  two-storied 
structure,  sadly  in  want  of  repairs.  It  is  very  plainly  fitted 
up,  excepting  some  handsome  carved  furniture  of  rose-wood, 
and  other  beautiful  timbers,  for  which  Brazil  is  famous.  The 
old  major-domo,  who  showed  me  oyer  the  alleged  palace,  was 
unable  to  tell  me  the  names  or  relationship  of  several  mem- 
bers of  the  small  imperial  family,  whose  portraits  graced  the 
walls  of  one  of  the  large  saloons.  The  gardens  contain  some 
fine  plants  and  beautiful  flowers,  but  are  not  kept  in  good 
order.  The  President’s  house  faces  a small  but  very  pretty 
park,  with  a music  pavilion,  where  a military  band  occasion- 
ally performs.  On  another  side  is  the  theatre,  not  an  impos- 
ing building  outwardly,  but  inside  one  of  the  prettiest, 
brightest,  and  cleanest  in  South  America.  It  has  four  tiers, 
and  large  proscenium-boxes,  one  of  which  is  reserved  for  the 
President’s  use.  A large  foyer  has  doors  opening  upon  a 
belvedere — the  top  of  the  vestibule — where  a promenade,  with 
fresh  air,  may  be  enjoyed  between  the  acts.  There  is  no 
local  dramatic  company,  but  sometimes  one  from  Rio  or  Lis- 
bon. Near  the  theatre  is  the  School  of  Fine  Arts,  and  a lit- 
tle way  along  the  same  water-front  is  the  honse  of  detention. 
Across  the  river,  upon  the  mainland,  some  distance  to  the 
left,  rises  the  large,  three-storied  Hospital  of  Horn  Pedro  II. 
Almost  directly  opposite  the  President’s  house,  also  upon  the 
mainland,  stands  the  House  of  Deputies,  a square  red  build- 


338  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


ing  with  great  windows  full  of  small  panes  of  glass,  crowned 
by  an  enormously  high  dome.  The  furniture  and  decora- 
tions are  very  simple.  In  this  part  of  the  city,  a short  dis- 
tance from  the  river,  is  the  public  cemetery,  the  only  one  I 
have  seen  which  at  all  resembles  those  in  Europe  and  the 
United  States.  The  usual  South  American  fashion  is,  as  I 
have  already  said,  to  huddle  the  monuments  all  together, 
with  no  intervening  trees,  flowers,  lawns,  or  paths,  so  that 
they  have  the  general  appearance  of  samples  in  a stone-cut- 
ter’s yard.  But  the  Pernambuco  cemetery  is  laid  out  in  a 
great  square,  crossed  in  all  directions  by  broad  avenues,  and 
filled  with  plants  of  interest  and  beauty.  The  central  avenue 
is  lined  by  royal  palms,  which  are  very  much  smaller,  how- 
ever, than  those  in  the  botanical  gardens  at  Bio.  The  ave- 
nues converge  at  a chapel  in  the  center.  All  around  the 
sides  is  a double  row  of  mural  niches,  or  catacombs,  as  they 
are  appropriately  styled  here.  But  even  in  this  improved 
cemetery  the  people  do  not  adopt  our  plan  of  family  lots,  with 
private  fences  and  gates.  They  run  their  rows  of  vaults  along 
and  near  the  main  avenues,  not  more  than  three  or  four  feet 
apart,  and  with  no  dividing  marks.  Several  of  the  monuments, 
which  are  all  of  the  pyramidal  type,  were  artistic  and  costly. 

The  public  market  of  Pernambuco  would  do  credit  to 
any  European  city.  It  occupies  a large  square,  is  built  of 
iron  and  stone,  paved  with  stone,  and  well  supplied  with 
water.  The  tables  are  great  slabs  of  stone,  and  each  of  the 
stalls  is  surrounded  by  a neat  iron  railing.  The  profusion  of 
fruit  and  fish  and  vegetables  may  be  inferred  from  the  trop- 
ical situation  of  Pernambuco.  The  building  of  the  Commer- 
cial Association  which,  with  its  two-storied  white  walls,  and 
pretty  little  flower-beds,  and  its  foreign-looking  iron  fence, 
first  attracts  the  attention  of  the  stranger  upon  landing  from 
the  steamer,  deserves  similar  praise  to  that  given  to  the  mar- 
ket. It  is,  in  reality,  a sugar  and  cotton  exchange.  Two 
great  rooms  are  upon  the  ground-floor  and  two  above.  The 
latter  are  carpeted  and  furnished,  and  their  walls  are  adorned 
with  portraits  of  the  Emperor  and  less  distinguished  Brazil- 


THE  “ CITY  OF  THE  BEEF.” 


339 


ians.  These  rooms  are  used  for  receptions  and  balls,  and  to 
entertain  celebrities  who  may  visit  the  city.  Down-stairs 
one  room  is  set  apart  for  brokers’  desks,  the  office  of  the 
president  of  the  association,  etc.  Its  sides  are  covered  with 
blackboards,  for  registering  commercial  quotations,  and  daily 
business  and  shipping  news  of  all  kinds.  The  other  room  is 
furnished  with  a long  table  running  its  entire  length,  and 
covered  with  files  of  newspapers  in  every  language  and  from 
every  country.  One  wall  is  faced  with  book-cases  containing 
commercial  statistics,  law  reports,  and  bound  volumes  of 
periodicals ; another  is  covered  with  framed  diplomas  and 
awards.  The  room  is  bright  and  attractive,  and  cooled  by 
fresh  breezes  direct  from  the  ocean.  The  little  plaza  in  front 
of  the  building  is  filled,  during  the  middle  of  the  day,  with 
knots  of  merchants  eagerly  discussing  the  two  great  items  of 
Pernambuco  commerce — sugar  and  cotton.  In  the  produc- 
tion of  sugar,  Brazil  is  second  only  to  Cuba.  In  the  streets 
you  see  many  long,  low  drays,  drawn  by  a single  huge  ox  in 
shafts,  and  loaded  with  these  useful  products. 

The  best  of  the  private  residences  of  the  rich  merchants 
of  Pernambuco  stand  upon  either  side  of  a little  railway, 
which  is  extended  about  eight  miles  into  the  country  in  a 
northwesterly  direction,  toward  a village  called  Caxangd. 
The  dwellings  are  generally  large,  square,  and  of  two  stories, 
covered  with  vari-colored  tiles,  but  with  no  pretense  to  any 
architectural  beauty.  They  are  surrounded  by  very  beauti- 
ful flower-gardens,  and  many  of  them  have  large  aviaries, 
the  Brazilians  being  very  fond  of  pet  song-birds.  Besides 
the  usual  varieties  of  palm,  the  banana  and  the  bamboo,  I 
noticed  tamarind,  bread-fruit,  mandioc,  mimosa,  jack-fruit, 
aloe,  wild-fig,  Brazil-nut,  acacia,  mango,  pomegranate,  guava, 
yam,  sweet-potato,  cotton,  and  sugar-cane.  Near  Caxangd 
are  the  new  reservoir  and  water- works  for  the  city,  situated 
amid  some  very  pretty  scenery.  The  water  is  to  be  derived 
from  a lake,  snugly  ensconced  at  the  extremity  of  a little 
valley,  whence  it  flows  about  half  a mile  to  the  pumping- 
works.  At  this  point,  in  order  to  get  a suitable  pressure 


34:0  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


for  the  houses  of  Pernambuco,  it  is  to  be  pumped  up  into  a 
great  reservoir,  now  building  upon  the  top  of  a neighbor- 
ing hill.  This  reservoir  is  of  massive  brick  masonry.  A 
pipe  eighteen  inches  in  diameter  will  convey  the  water  to 
the  city.  From  the  top  of  the  reservoir  a remarkably  good 
view  of  the  surrounding  country  and  the  distant  city  and 
ocean  may  be  had.  Away  to  the  west  are  billowy,  green 
hillocks ; nearer  are  great  plains  of  rich  pasture.  These  new 
water-works  are  being  built  by  an  English  company.  I have 
already  referred  to  that,  suburb,  styled  Olinda,  which  was  the 
old  Pernambuco.  This  is  reached  by  a narrow-gauge  rail- 
way, with  miniature  locomotive  and  carriages  of  English 
construction.  The  road  passes  through  low,  swampy  land 
tilled  with  palms,  bananas,  bamboos,  and  dense  groves  of 
mangoes.  No  fine  residences  of  merchants  have  been  built 
in  this  direction ; only  the  dilapidated  mud  huts  of  very  poor 
people,  mostly  negroes.  At  Olinda  are  a number  of  pict- 
uresque little  hills,  each  topped  with  a church  or  convent. 
Four  or  five  of  these  convents  vie  with  a dozen  churches. 
Upon  the  highest  ground  is  a theological  seminary,  where 
about  a hundred  boys  are  at  present  studying.  From  the 
windows  of  this  college  splendid  views  may  be  had  of  the 
coast  far  north,  of  the  great  ocean  to  the  east,  and  of  the 
city  of  Pernambuco  at  the  south.  The  country  inland  is 
also  very  beautiful,  with  gently  undulating,  thickly  verdured 
surface.  Olinda  is  a very  dead-and-alive  place,  but  its  quaint 
old  churches  and  convents  are  romantically  if  not  practically 
interesting. 

One  day  I took  a trip  by  rail  into  the  interior  in  a south- 
west direction,  through  the  rich  sugar  regions — the  cotton- 
growing country  is  in  a different  direction,  more  to  the  west- 
ward, upon  higher  and  drier  ground  — to  the  town  of 
Palmares,  about  ninety  miles  distant.  The  line  belongs  to 
an  English  company,  has  been  long  established,  and  is  in  a 
prosperous  condition.  It  is  a very  broad  gauge,  and  has 
carriages  of  three  classes.  For  the  first  part  of  the  journey 
the  country  was  low,  level,  and  swampy.  To  this  succeeded 


TEE  “ CITY  OF  TEE  REEF.” 


341 

an  undulating  region  and  the  cane-fields.  I passed  three  or 
four  towns,  though  most  of  the  stations  were  little  more  than 
groups  of  a dozen  mnd  huts.  Mandioc  and  beans  appeared  to 
be  much  cultivated,  and  some  splendid  pasture-land  of  great, 
smooth  hills  was  covered  with  a velvety  turf  of  the  brightest 
and  freshest  green.  I did  not  observe  many  cattle,  however, 
nor  did  those  I saw  seem  very  well  favored.  As  we  went 
on,  the  scenery  increased  in  picturesqueness,  being  more 
broken  and  diversified.  Most  of  the  land  h*ad  been  burned 
over  at  least  once,  so  that  little  remained  of  the  primitive 
forest.  We  crossed  two  or  three  small  rivers  upon  stout, 
iron-girder  bridges.  The  engenhos , as  the  sugar-mills  are 
called,  were  very  far  apart.  They  were  generally  huge 
buildings  of  brick  or  mud,  and  the  grinding  was  accom- 
plished with  either  water  or  mule  power.  The  family  dwell- 
ing was  near  at  hand,  probably  a large  two-story  edifice,  of 
very  gTaring  white  color.  On  some  neighboring  knoll  would 
always  be  a small  chapel,  for  every  large  sugar-mill  supports 
one.  Scattered  round  about  would  be  the  squalid  slave 
quarters.  A rich  sugar-planter  sometimes  owned  a couple  of 
hundred  of  these  human  chattels.  An  English  company  has 
built  five  large  steam  cane-grinding  mills  along  the  railway, 
and  to  these  very  many  of  the  planters  sell  their  cane  out- 
right. The  company  then  grind  it,  and  send  the  sugar  to 
Pernambuco,  and  so  abroad.  These  factories  are  fitted  with 
every  necessary  machine,  of  the  best  device  and  construction, 
and  they  have  English  superintendents  and  engineers.  A 
narrow-gauge  road  runs  nearly  due  west  from  Palmares  about 
fifty  miles.  It  is  intended  in  the  future — very  distant? — 
to  extend  this  little  line  as  far  as  the  great  San  Francisco 
Piver.  There  being  nothing  of  special  interest  to  be  seen 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Palmares,  I returned  by  the  same 
route  to  the  “ City  of  the  Reef.” 

A few  days  afterward  I left  Pernambuco  for  Para,  on 
one  of  the  mouths  of  the  mighty  Amazon,  intending  to  call 
at  San  Luiz,  the  capital  of  the  province  of  Maranham.  I 
took  passage  in  the  commodious  and  comfortable  steamer 


342  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 

Advance,  of  the  United  States  and  Brazil  Steamship  Com- 
pany, one  of  the  few  lines  still  flying  the  star-spangled  ban- 
ner. The  cargo  was  mostly  coffee  and  sugar,  and  the  passen- 
gers were  nearly  all  Americans,  bound  for  [New  York.  After 
so  many  strange  sights  and  scenes,  and  such  a confusion  of 
tongues  as  I had  experienced  during  the  past  thirteen  months, 
the  sound  of  my  vernacular  and  the  society  of  my  country- 
men were  delightful,  and  only  too  soon  cut  short  by  the 
voyage  of  five  days.  We  had  started  at  daylight,  and  late  in 
the  afternoon  we  rounded  Cape  Saint  Koque,  which  is  not 
the  most  easterly  point  of  South  America,  as  used  to  he 
taught  in  our  school  geographies — that  distinction  being  re- 
served for  Cape  Saint  Augustine,  which  is  three  degrees 
south,  and  about  half  a degree  east,  of  the  other  promontory, 
and  which,  by-the-by,  was  the  first  land  discovered  in  South 
America — by  Pingon,  in  a.  d.  1500.  Away  to  the  right,  but 
over  a hundred  miles  from  the  mainland,  is  the  small  island 
of  Fernando  de  Uoronha,  used  as  a penal  colony  by  Brazil. 
On  the  afternoon  of  the  third  day  out  from  Pernambuco,  we 
sighted  and  passed  a tall  white  lighthouse  situated  on  an  isl- 
and off  the  coast  of  Maranham ; and  at  dusk  we  were  enter- 
ing a great  bay  with  low  land  on  every  side,  and  just  in  front 
of  us  the  capital  city  of  the  province,  San  Luiz.  It  was  a 
very  ordinary-looking  town,  though  well  lighted  with  gas. 
Approaching  a few  small  steamers,  we  anchored  for  the 
night.  In  the  morning  we  went  on  shore,  and  took  a walk 
and  a long  ride  in  the  tram-cars.  Grass  was  growing  in  the 
paved  streets,  and  there  was  a general  air  of  desolation  and 
decay  about  everything.  The  exports  are  sugar  and  cot- 
ton, and  near  the  close  of  the  American  civil  war  the  place 
was  very  active  and  hopeful,  but  now  it  is  dying,  slowly  but 
surely.  We  remained  nearly  all  one  day,  taking  freight  and 
waiting’  for  the  flood-tide,  before  threading  the  shallow  and 
tortuous  channel.  At  low  tide  the  harbor  is  more  than  half 
dry,  so  that  a steamer  visitor,  who  went  below  at  high  water 
and  did  not  come  on  deck  till  low,  seeing  the  great,  bare  sand- 
banks, would  not  recognize  the  situation.  We  took  a pilot 


THE  “ CITY  OF  THE  REEF.” 


343 


from  a boat  a long  distance  from  the  month  of  the  Para 
River.  This  pilot  was  put  aboard  onr  steamer  from  one  of 
the  most  primitive  dng-out  canoes  I have  ever  seen  in  the 
wide  ocean.  The  men  propelled  their  crazy  craft  with  very 
broad-bladed,  short-handled  paddles,  and,  npon  grasping  a 
rope  thrown  to  them,  steered  in  such  bad  form  that  they 
were  nearly  swamped.  But,  grinning  and  chattering,  they 
soon  bailed  the  canoe,  and  finally  succeeded  in  getting  the 
pilot  and  his  little  tin  trunk  and  silver-headed  cane  on  board. 
Para  is  seventy-five  miles  up  the  river,  and  we  reached  it 
early  the  next  morning.  Its  situation  is  similar  to  that  of 
San  Luiz,  save  that  it  is  more  compactly  built,  and  lies  upon 
lower  ground.  Several  smaller  rivers  enter  the  Para  just 
here,  and  the  city  is  built  on  a point  of  land  thus  formed  by 
•the  Guama.  The  anchorage  is  extensive,  and  almost  land- 
locked by  densely  wooded  islands.  The  color  of  the  water  is 
a chocolate-brown,  and  the  current  runs  very  swiftly.  Scat- 
tered around  the  harbor  were  a dozen  small  ships  and  a score 
of  steamers  of  all  styles  and  sizes.  Two  large  English  steam- 
ers were  anchored  near  us.  The  other  steamers  are  mostly 
employed  in  the  Amazonian  trade,  a few  only  being  coasters. 
All  along  the  river- front  were  great  iron  warehouses,  built 
upon  wharves.  Most  of  the  freight  is  moved  by  lighters, 
the  water  is  deep  enough  to  allow  some  of  the  smaller  ves- 
sels to  lie  at  the  wharves,  wdiile  others  may  be  seen  with  only 
their  thin  bows  placed  against  the  river  wall.  The  houses 
of  the  city  appear  to  be  two  or  three  stories  in  height,  and 
some  of  them  are  of  great  size.  The  woody  jungle  comes 
directly  up  to  the  edge  of  the  city,  with  no  straggling  sub- 
urbs. The  customary  number  of  moldy,  weather-beaten  old 
churches  is  not  sufficient  to  give  a picturesque  appearance  to 
what  is  only  a plain-looking  commercial  emporium,  wholly 
devoted  to  the  trade  of  the  Amazon  River — the  export  of 
rubber,  cacao  or  chocolate,  pirarucu,  a fish  often  eight  feet  in 
length,  and  castanhas  or  Brazil-nuts,  the  chestnuts  of  a forest 
palm.  The  steamer  Advance,  after  loading  one  hundred  tons 
of  rubber,  sailed  for  Barbados,  Saint  Thomas,  and  Hew  York. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 


AN  EQUATORIAL  EMPORIUM. 

Para,  like  several  other  Brazilian  cities,  has  another  and 
an  official  name — to  wit,  Belem — which  appears  upon  Bra- 
zilian  maps  and  charts.  In  like  manner  Bahia  is  called  San 
Salvador,  and  Pernambuco  Recife.  Para  stands  upon  nearly 
level  ground,  and  is  laid  out  regularly,  with  narrow  streets, 
generally  paved  with  square  stone  blocks.  Tram-cars,  both 
of  broad  and  narrow  gauge,  run  in  all  desirable  directions, 
and  even  to  suburbs  three  miles  distant.  The  city  is  well 
lighted  by  gas.  The  telephone  is  in  general  use.  Good 
hackney-coaches  abound,  though,  being  very  expensive,  they 
are  not  much  patronized.  But  little  is  to  be  said  in  praise  of 
the  public  buildings.  An  old  church  and  convent,  near  the 
river-bank,  are  utilized  as  a custom-house.  The  most  im- 
posing and  probably  the  finest  building,  architecturally  speak- 
ing, is  the  opera-house,  or  theatre.  Hext  in  point  of  merit 
might  be  named,  I should  suppose,  the  government  and  presi- 
dent’s houses,  great  two-storied  buildings,  very  plain,  both 
inside  and  out,  facing  an  enormous  plaza  covered  with  rank 
grass  and  unprovided  with  paths.  In  the  center  of  this 
plaza,  which  is  surrounded  by  one-story  houses  and  a row  of 
mango-trees,  a lofty  white-marble  monument  has  been  erected 
to  some  Brazilian  general,  a native  of  Para.  The  pedestal 
possesses  no  other  merit  than  that  it  is  cut  from  marble,  but 
the  bronze  figure  of  the  commander  on  top  is  worthy  of 
attention  and  praise.  Hear  by  is  a small  fort,  mounting  a 
few  guns  of  light  caliber.  The  public  market  is  in  the 
neighborhood.  It  is  very  creditable  as  regards  its  construe- 


AN  EQUATORIAL  EMPORIUM. 


345 


tion  and  utility,  and,  of  course,  from  its  location  in  a city  so 
near  the  equator,  contains  an  endless  profusion  of  fish,  fruit, 
and  vegetables.  A street  running  past  the  government- 
house  is  bordered  by  rows  of  the  royal  palm  for  a distance  of 
half  a mile.  For  one  who  had  never  seen  the  splendid 
avenue  in  the  Botanical  Gardens  of  Bio,  or  in  the  park  of 
Palermo,  near  Buenos  Ayres,  the  vista  of  this  street  would 
be  very  interesting ; but  here  the  trees  are  of  a lesser  height, 
are  broken  and  irregular,  and  their  trunks  have  a disagree- 
able, unhealthy  look.  What  is  by  courtesy  styled  the  Bo- 
tanical Gardens  adjoins  this  avenue  of  palms.  Whatever  it 
may  once  have  been,  it  is  now  only  a thicket,  into  which  it 
would  be  almost  impossible  to  penetrate.  The  cathedral  of 
Para  is  a very  large,  long  edifice,  now  undergoing  much- 
needed  repairs.  A handsome  high  altar,  in  which  I counted 
ten  different  sorts  of  marble,  has  just  been  erected.  From 
the  towers  of  this  church  a good  view  may  be  obtained  of  the 
city,  the  surrounding  rivers  and  islands,  and  the  vast  forests 
of  the  interior.  These  forests  may  be  easily  visited  by  riding 
out  in  the  tram-car  in  a northerly  direction  to  the  edge  of 
the  city,  and  then  walking  about  a mile  along  a path  cut 
through  the  dense  woods,  to  a little  stream  called  the  Una 
Biver.  Besides  the  naturally  great  variety  of  plant  and 
animal  life  to  be  seen,  you  find  the  assai-^ aim,  the  most  airy 
and  graceful  of  all  the  palms.  The  beautiful  orchids  are 
also  sure  to  claim  the  stranger’s  attention.  It  is  curious, 
moreover,  to  see  a street  lined  with  houses  end  abruptly 
against  a vast  perpendicular  wall  of  verdure,  into  which  you 
can  not  see  ten  feet.  Many  of  the  dwellings  of  Para  are 
very  pretty,  surrounded,  as  they  are  sure  to  be,  by  odd  trees 
and  shrubs  and  gay  flowers.  The  better  class  of  houses  are 
two  stories  in  height,  and  covered  with  blue  and  white  tiles ; 
cheaper  houses  have  their  mud  walls  fancifully  painted. 
The  first  and  second  streets  running  parallel  to  the  harbor,  or 
anchorage-ground,  are  devoted  to  the  wholesale  stores,  the 
banks,  consulates,  and  ship-chandlers.  The  third  street  con- 
tains the  retail  stores,  with  a great  variety  of  goods  imported 


346  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


from  the  United  States,  England,  France,  and  Germany. 
Para  has  to  supply  all  the  river  towns  of  the  interior  with 
food  and  household  utensils.  A great  bustle  reigns  along  the 
wharves  of  Para;  steamers  come  and  go  almost  every  day, 
either  to  or  from  the  Amazon,  the  coast,  or  the  ocean.  Many 
foreign  ships  and  native  boats  and  canoes  throng  there. 
Half  a dozen  lines  of  steamers  ply  on  the  mighty  Amazon. 
The  climate  of  Para  is  not  unhealthy,  though  variable.  The 
mornings  are  very  sultry,  but  with  the  afternoon  generally 
come  refreshing  sea-breezes,  and  throughout  a greater  part 
of  the  year  heavy  showers,  accompanied  with  thunder  and 
lightning,  which  usually  make  the  nights  cool  and  pleasant. 
Little  or  no  yellow  fever  visits  Para,  though  intermittent 
fever  is  not  unknown.  During  the  rainy  season,  which  ex- 
tends over  about  two  thirds  of  the  year,  all  those  streets 
which  are  not  paved  become  terrible  sloughs  of  mud  and 
water. 

During  my  stay  I paid  several  visits  to  the  great  opera- 
house,  one  of  the  largest  in  South  America,  which,  as  I have 
said,  is  situated  at  one  end  of  the  plaza.  It  is  built  of  brick 
and  stucco,  though  in  front  and  on  each  side  are  rows  of  lofty 
marble  columns,  fluted  shafts,  with  the  delicate  foliated  capi- 
tals of  the  Corinthian  order  of  architecture.  In  marble-paved 
porticoes  one  may  promenade  between  the  acts.  He  may 
also  visit  the  large  foyer.  In  front  of  the  entrances  were  a 
dozen  negresses,  vending  sweetmeats  and  candies.  Hear  the 
doors,  inside,  was  a large  bar-room,  which  the  audience  fre- 
quently visited  during  the  evening,  for  supplies  of  beer  or 
sweet  drinks.  The  theatre  has  four  narrow  galleries,  which 
are  rather  remarkable,  in  that  none  of  them  are  supported  by 
pillars,  but  by  iron  brackets.  The  president’s  box  is  in  the 
center  of  the  middle  tier,  but  there  are  no  proscenium-boxes. 
The  interior  is  decorated  in  white,  red,  and  gold.  As  in  the 
European  opera-houses,  one  half  of  the  parquette  has  seats  at 
one  price,  the  other  at  a larger.  The  company  was  an  Ital- 
ian one,  and  gave  Donizetti’s  “Favorita”  in  very  good  style, 
especially  when  the  facts  are  recalled  that  we  are  located  at 


AN  EQUATORIAL  EMPORIUM. 


347 


a month  of  the  great  Amazon,  hardly  a mile  from  the  prime- 
val forest.  The  orchestra  numbered  some  twenty-five  per- 
formers, and  the  most  prominent  instrument  was  a piano. 
The  band  was  leaderless — a very  palpable  defect.  The  voice 
most  frequently  and  loudly  heard  wTas  that  of  the  annoying 
prompter.  But,  either  because  it  was  not  a very  popular 
opera  that  was  presented,  or  because  the  best  members  of  the 
troupe  did  not  participate,  or  because  it  was  not  Sunday,  the 
popular  holiday,  only  three  hundred  people  were  present. 
The  ladies  wore  light-colored  dresses,  without  hats  ; no  gen- 
tlemen were  in  evening  dress.  If  an  additional  illustration 
of  the  dilatoriness  of  the  South  American  people  were 
needed,  I might  mention  that,  though  the  hour  for  beginning 
the  opera  was  advertised  as  8.30  p.  m.,  at  that  time  not  a 
member  of  the  orchestra  was  in  his  seat,  and  by  actual  count 
only  four  people  were  in  the  auditorium.  At  nine  the  per- 
formance began,  and  just  at  that  time  the  people  came  in 
hurriedly  and  took  their  seats.  The  intermissions  were  very 
long,  and  the  entire  audience  appeared  to  leave  their  places 
and  promenade  in  various  parts  of  the  building,  while  many 
of  the  gentlemen  adjourned  to  neighboring  cafes.  A few 
nights  afterward  I attended  a benefit  at  which  the  tenor  was 
complimented  in  most  extraordinary  fashion.  Speeches  were 
made  from  the  boxes,  poetry  was  recited,  jewelry  was  pre- 
sented, and  between  the  acts,  Manrico,  in  costume  (the  opera 
was  “ 11  Trovatore  ”),  went  around  to  the  boxes  to  collect  his 
subscriptions.  These  being  paid,  were  at  once  checked  off 
by  a clerk  who  attended  him.  It  was  a most  diverting 
evening. 

One.  day  I made  an  excursion  to  the  end  of  a railway 
which  is  intended  eventually  to  extend  to  the  large  town  of 
Braganga,  about  eighty  miles  from  Para  to  the  northeastward. 
At  present,  however,  the  road  is  only  completed  about  half 
this  distance.  It  is  a narroV  gauge,  wdth  rolling-stock  of 
English  make,  and  one  train  a day  is  run  each  way.  Only  a 
single  town  of  any  importance  graces  the  road,  and  the  dis- 
trict generally  is  very  thinly  peopled.  But  the  opportunity 


348  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


presented  of  seeing  the  forest  is  unrivaled,  for  the  country 
is  quite  level  and  covered  with  almost  impenetrable  jungle 
throughout  the  entire  distance.  A space  for  about  fifty  feet 
has  been  cleared,  on  both  sides  of  the  track,  and  the  little 
villages  generally  face  the  road  in  long,  straggling  rows.  The 
train  was  full  of  natives.  The  women  were  neatly  dressed 
in  light  calicoes,  and  their  luxuriant  black  hair  w^as  orna- 
mented with  flowers,  but  they  neither  wore  hats  nor  carried 
parasols.  The  men  were  dressed  in  thin  black  cloth,  and 
smoked  and  chatted  constantly.  But  what  shall  I say  of 
the  forest  ? One  never  tires  gazing  at  it.  Its  novelty  is  per- 
petual. The  largest  trees  would  average  one  hundred  feet 
in  height,  with  trunks  three  or  four  feet  in  diameter,  and 
generally  very  straight,  with  but  few  branches,  and  these 
near  the  top.  The  first  thing  that  strikes  the  beholder  of  a 
tropical  forest  is  the  almost  solid  mass  of  verdure,  the  vast 
quantity  and  variety  of  plant-life ; the  second  is  the  gener- 
ally tall  and  slender  character  of  the  trees,  and  the  fact  that 
each  has  leaves,  for  the  most  part,  only  on  top.  Here  one 
readily  comprehends  the  doctrine  of  the  “ survival  of  the 
fittest,”  for  all  are  struggling  in  a dense  mass  upward  for 
light,  sun,  and  air.  Hence  you  observe  the  very  summits  of 
the  loftiest  covered  with  orchids,  lichens,  and  vines,  many  of 
which  send  their  roots  down  a hundred  feet  to  the  ground, 
at  the  bases  of  the  trees  upon  which  they  thrive.  Frequent- 
ly you  notice  a parasitic  plant  whose  foliage  towers  above, 
and  is  greater  than  that  of  the  tree  which  it  has  scaled.  And 
then,  from  tree  to  tree,  and  limb  to  limb,  is  an  intricate  net- 
work of  luxuriant  lianas,  the  appearance  of  which  continually 
reminded  me  of  the  rigging  of  a great  ship.  The  lower  half 
of  the  forest  was  composed  of  so  many  smaller  trees  that 
their  thin  straight  stems  alone  almost  shut  out  the  light. 
The  surface  of  the  ground  was  covered  with  a tangle  of 
creepers  and  trunks,  and  decaying  vegetation  of  all  kinds. 
In  temperate  regions,  you  find,  in  a day’s  ramble,  a single 
representative  of  a genus ; but  here,  under  the  equator,  you 
discover  a dozen.  During  my  short  ride  I casually  counted 


AN  EQUATORIAL  EMPORIUM. 


349 


fourteen  species  of  the  palm.  Upon  arriving  at  the  terminus 
of  the  railroad,  I took  a walk  of  a couple  of  miles  along  a 
path  entering  directly  into  the  forest.  The  stillness  was 
mournful  and  oppressive.  The  only  sign  of  animal  life  was 
comprised  in  a few  birds,  butterflies,  and  lizards.  The  birds 
gave  forth  no  song,  only  occasionally  a frightened  screech. 
The  butterflies  were  large  and  very  pretty  ; and  a toucan,  that 
sailed  quietly  by,  looked  like  a fragment  of  a rainbow. 
Though  I heard  no  animals,  and  could  of  course  see  none  in 
so  dense  a growth,  I made  no  doubt  the  forest  was  as  prolific 
in  them  as  in  vegetable  life — not  perhaps  in  quadrumana, 
but  certainly  in  reptiles  and  insects.  In  the  heart  of  the 
great  wroods  one  does  not  see  many  flowers  other  than  orchids, 
but  some  of  these  were  most  interesting,  from  their  singular 
form  and  the  peculiar  arrangement  of  their  blossoms  and 
fleshy  tubers.  "Some  of  the  tree-trunks  are  fluted,  others 
honey-combed,  others  larger  above  than  below.  Some  are 
reared  upon  stilts  of  roots,  some  are  buttressed  by  narrow 
slabs  of  living  wood  which  frequently,  to  insure  the  better 
brace,  project  twenty  feet  from  the  giant  pillar  they  are 
steadying  and  supporting.  Then,  again,  the  enormous  va- 
riety of  leaves,  both  in  shape  and  size,  all  massed  together, 
and  all  new  and  strange  to  eyes  accustomed  to  a more  mea- 
ger flora,  prove  of  unflagging  interest.  As  I walk  slowly 
along,  I feel  as  if  in  a fog,  or  Russian  bath,  it  is  so  damp 
and  steamy.  Below  is  the  moisture,  and  above  are  the  light 
and  sun,  which  together  produce  such  a lavish  display  of 
plant-life.  The  tropical  forest  is  not  only  grand  and  solemn, 
it  is  also  graceful  and  beautiful.  The  delicacy  and  elegance 
of  some  of  the  palms  are  very  wonderful.  The  vast  beds  of 
trailing  creepers  are  so  soft  and  rich  as  to  resemble  the 
choicest  velvet.  And  notice  especially  the  shades  of  green 
in  the  foliage,  which  vary  from  the  faintest,  most  illusive 
tints,  to  the  heaviest  and  darkest  green-black.  It  is  always 
twilight  in  the  primeval  forests  of  the  torrid  zone.  It  did 
not,  therefore,  require  a very  vivid  imagination  to  fancy  that 
the  body  and  limbs  of  some  old  sylvan  monarchs,  wound 


350  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


abbut  by  huge  parasitic  climbers,  were  thus  pinioned  by 
massy  cordage.  To  return  to  the  city : no  visitor  to  Para 
should  omit  an  examination  of  the  splendid  gardens  of  the 
well-known  American  botanist  and  author,  Edward  S.  Rand, 
who  has  some  thirty  thousand  plants  in  seven  hundred  and 
fifty-six  species,  and  endless  varieties.  Especially  interest- 
ing is  his  collection  of  orchids.  These  gardens  are  private 
property,  but  Mr.  Rand  is  very  amiable,  and  likes  nothing 
better  than  to  show  his  treasures  to  an  appreciative  stranger. 

Having  seen  everything  of  importance  in  and  about  Para, 
I decided  to  make  a voyage  of  about  a thousand  miles  up  the 
Amazon  to  Manaos,  the  capital  of  Amazonas,  the  largest 
province  of  Brazil.  Several  lines  of  Brazilian  steamers  run 
to  Manaos-;  and  two  English  steamers,  each  of  a thousand  tons 
burden,  go  from  Liverpool  direct  and  return  by  way  of  Hew 
York.  But  the  best  passenger  line,  for  a traveler  who  finds 
himself  in  Para,  is  that  called  the  Amazonian,  which  is  an 
English  company,  though  the  officers  and  engineers  are  Bra- 
zilians. This  company  dispatches  three  steamers  a month. 
These  are  iron  side- wheel  vessels,  of  five  hundred  or  six  hun- 
dred tons  burden,  built  in  England.  They  are  specially  well 
arranged  for  long  voyages  under  the  equator.  They  have, 
for  instance,  two  decks,  the  upper  being  covered  by  a wooden 
roof.  The  cabins  are  forward,  and  contain  four  berths  each. 
The  whole  after  part,  behind  the  wheel-houses,  is  open,  and 
a long;  table  down  its  center  is  used  for  meals.  On  each  side 
of  this  the  passengers  stretch  their  hammocks  transversely 
between  the  iron  posts  which  support  the  roof.  Should  the 
breeze  blow  too  strongly,  or  a rain-shower  come  on,  canvas 
curtains  are  dropped  on  all  sides,  making  a dry  and  comfort- 
able room.  In  these  hammocks  you  find  the  passengers  loll- 
ing, swinging,  gossiping  all  day  long,  but  never  by  any 
chance  reading,  or,  if  women,  doing  any  embroidery  or  fancy- 
work.  The  hammocks  are  generally  used  at  night  also  in 
preference  to  the  warm  and  close  cabins.  On  the  lower  deck 
a number  of  second-class  passengers  are  carried.  The  crew 
all  sleep  in  hammocks  in  the  forward  part  of  the  steamer, 


AN  EQUATORIAL  EMPORIUM. 


351 


and  so  thickly  are  these  linng  together  that  it  is  impossible 
to  pass  between  them,  though,  if  necessary,  you  might  cross 
under  them.  When  I went  on  board  the  steamer  at  mid- 
night— it  was  to  leave  at  daylight — everything  was  silent, 
though  I knew  there  must  be  many  passengers  ; so,  strolling 
around,  I found  the  whole  deck  covered  with  hammocks,  each 
of  which  contained  a sleeping  man,  woman,  or  child.  The 
next  day  I discovered,  posted  in  a conspicuous  place,  a list  of 
the  names  of  forty  passengers,  with  their  several  destinations. 
The  table  was  not  very  good,  nor  was  the  cleanliness  as  per- 
fect as  would  have  been  agreeable.  Coffee  was  served  at 
6.30  a.  m.,  breakfast  at  11.30,  dinner  at  4.30  p.  m.,  and  tea  at 
8.  My  fellow-passengers  were  affable  and  sociable,  though 
of  course  their  ideas  of  refinement  were  not  the  same  as 
those  generally  prevailing  in  the  northern  half  of  the  conti- 
nent. They  stuck  to  their  hammocks,  day  and  night.  The 
Amazon  Valley  is  par  excellence  the  66  country  of  hammocks.”' 
Thereabout  a man  never  travels  without  one,  and  in  all  the 
hotels  and  private  houses  you  find  stout  ring-bolts  fastened 
in  the  walls  ready  for  use  in  suspending  them.  As  you  steam 
along  the  great  river,  you  always  see  many  hammocks  swing- 
ing in  the  huts  along  the  bank.  The  word  is  of  Indian  ori- 
gin. Columbus,  in  the  narrative  of  his  first  voyage,  speaks 
of  the  hamacas , or  nets,  in  which  the  Indians  slept.  On  the 
Amazon  they  are  made  of  netting  or  cloth,  generally  the 
latter,  and  of  hemp  or  cotton,  variously  ornamented  and  em- 
broidered. They  often  have  deep  fringes  hanging  down  from 
the  sides,  which  give  them  a very  pretty  appearance.  They 
cost  all  the  way  from  five  dollars  to  fifty  dollars,  according 
to  the  amount  of  ornamentation.  Some,  made  on  the  Rio 
Negro,  of  the  feathers  of  rare  and  beautiful  birds,  are,  of 
course,  still  more  expensive.  As  soon  as  the  ordinary  ham- 
mocks become  soiled,  they  are  washed,  and  hence  the  white 
ones — the  best  of  them  generally  seem  to  be  of  this  color — 
present  a very  bright,  neat  appearance.  They  are  used  not 
only  as  couches  by  day,  but  as  hanging  beds  at  night.  It 
requires  some  practice  to  learn  how  to  lie  comfortably  in  one 


352  AllOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

of  these  cloth  swings.  The  position  which  the  Brazilian 
adopts  is  oblique,  from  the  corner  of  one  extremity  to  that 
. diagonally  opposite.  Having  assumed  this  position,  you  dis- 
cover that  no  pillow  is  necessary.  If  the  hammock  be  de- 
rided, during  the  daytime,  as  a lazy  institution,  it  is  just 
such  a one  as  is  needed  in  the  debilitating  temperature  of  the 
tropics ; and,  used  as  a bed  at  night,  it  is  certainly  clean,  cool, 
comfortable,  and  conducive  to  health.  Aside  from  the  Ama- 
zon Yalley,  or  rather  including  it,  the  part  of  South  America 
where  hammocks  flourish  most  vigorously  may  be  roughly 
indicated  as  between  the  Caribbean  Sea  and  the  tenth  degree 
of  south  latitude. 

The  route  followed  by  the  river-steamers  from  Para  is 
westwardly,  around  the  great  Island  of  Marajo,  until  we  enter 
the  Amazon  proper,  just  beyond  the  mouth  of  the  Xingu. 
More  than  one  half  the  total  length  of  the  Amazon  is  a vast 
network  of  islands,  channels,  creeks,  and  lakes.  It  is  a great 
archipelago,  an  inland  sea  full  of  islands  of  every  conceivable 
size  and  shape,  though  they  are  very  much  alike  in  being 
low,  level,  and  densely  covered  with  forest.  While  we  are 
in  the  Para  Piver,  we  generally  have  a sky  and  water  hori- 
zon, both  before  and  behind  us.  In  fact,  a special  and  very 
appropriate  name  is  given  to  a part  of  the  river  here — name- 
ly, the  Bay  of  Marajo.  We  pass  the  wide  mouth  of  the 
Tocantins  Piver.  The  land  is  so  low  that  on  either  side  you 
discover  only  slight  fringes  of  verdure.  At  night  we  stop 
for  half  an  hour  at  the  little  town  of  Breves,  on  the  Island  of 
Marajo,  and  from  here,  until  we  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Xingu,  we  are  in  channels  of  about  half  a mile  in  width. 
Going  on  deck  early  the  next  morning,  I obtained  several 
extended  vistas  between  the  islands,  and  away  out  toward  the 
main  river.  A few  small  schooners  with  odd  masts  and  sails 
were  observed.  There  do  not  seem  to  be  any  villages  along 
this  part  of  the  river,  but  occasionally  large,  isolated  huts,  of 
palm-leaf  sides  and  roof,  and  a few  dug-out  canoes,  drawn  up 
in  the  slime  and  floating  debris , are  noticed.  The  river  is  of 
a thick,  muddy  hue,  though,  when  the  water  is  allowed  to 


Chart  of  a Section  of  the  Lower  Amazon. 


AN  EQUATORIAL  EMPORIUM. 


353 


settle,  it  becomes  comparatively  clear.  Huge  earthenware 
jars  of  it  are  stationed  about  our  decks  for  ever-thirsty  pas- 
sengers. The  current  is  strong- — three  or  four  miles  an  hour 
— and  carries  along  fruits,  stalks,  huge  logs,  and  a great  many 
large  islands  of  grass  and  reeds,  like  those  in  the  Paraguay 
Piver  to  which  I have  heretofore  alluded,  save  that  here 
many  of  them  were  forty  or  fifty  feet  square.  As  we  neared 
the  mouths  of  the  Xingu,  the  forest,  on  the  south  shore,  be- 
came indescribably  grand  and  beautiful.  It  comes  directly 
to  the  edge  of  the  water,  and  is  faced  with  great  masses  of 
reeds  and  other  aquatic  plants.  Sitting  at  your  ease  in  com- 
fortable extension-chairs,  or  reclining  in  your  hammock, 
you  may  enjoy  a panorama  unequaled  throughout  the  world. 
I have  never  anywhere  seen  such  magnificent  native  woods. 
I had  thought  that  some  of  the  previous  voyagers  on  the 
Amazon  had  exaggerated,  that  they  had  colored  their  accounts 
too  highly ; and  that,  being  specialists,  they  had  observed 
with  the  enthusiasm  peculiar  to  their  kind.  But,  no ; the  real- 
ity fully  comes  up  to  the  descriptions  of  others,  and  my  own 
ardent  longings.  Too  great  praise  could  not  be  bestowed 
upon  the  splendid  Brazilian  forest ; but  I soon  saw  that  it 
was,  besides,  a veritable  botanist’s  paradise.  The  variety  of 
plant-life  is  overwhelmingly  and  continuously  great.  You 
might  perhaps  take  a photograph  of  any  thousand  feet,  which 
should  be  in  a manner  typical  of  all,  yet  often,  for  long  dis- 
tances, a particular  species  of  some  tree,  most  likely  a mem- 
ber of  the  great  palm  family,  will  assert  itself.  The  thicket 
is  so  compact  that  ordinarily  you  can  not  see  farther  into  it 
than  a score  of  feet,  yet  even  this  is  quite  enough  to  show 
leaves  varying  in  color  from  the  lightest  to  the  darkest  green, 
and  from  yellow  to  black.  Every  species  of  plant,  from  a 
tiny  spire  of  grass  to  a giant  monarch  of  the  forest,  a hundred 
and  fifty  feet  in  height,  and  with  a hillock  of  verdure  atop, 
is  represented.  Venerable  trees,  adolescent  saplings,  vines, 
parasites,  lichens,  orchids,  ferns,  grasses,  and  arums  are  here 
grouped,  massed,  or  interwoven.  Many  of  the  large  trees  re- 
semble forest-trees  in  the  temperate  zone,  but  the  palms  at 
23 


354:  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


once  proclaim  another  sun,  soil,  and  atmosphere.  Hundreds 
of  species  of  these  palms  flourish,  always  striking,  graceful, 
and  beautiful.  Among  them  the  already  mentioned  assai  is, 
perhaps,  the  most  charming,  through  its  light  and  airy  ele- 
gance, its  slender,  ringed  stem,  its  glossy,  fresh-colored  tuft. 
Several  of  the  largest  trees — not  palms — spread  above  the 
others  a wide,  thick  roof  of  verdure,  like  a vast  umbrella. 
Others  have  so  dense  a covering  of  leaves  and  intertwined 
vines  that  you  hardly  see  their  trunks,  while  elsewhere  a 
great  mass  of  tall,  slim  stems  crowd  so  closely  together  as 
almost  to  resemble  a natural  picket-fence.  The  great  groves 
of  palm-trees  looked  like  vast  verdant  halls.  The  mighty 
columnar  stems  bore  high  aloft  a solid  roof  of  glossy  green, 
walking  under  which  the  proudest  of  earth  might  justly  feel 
awed  and  humbled.  The  stems  and  trunks  add  not  a little 
to  the  pictorial  effect  of  the  vegetation.  They  range  from 
green  to  gray,  from  red  to  white,  from  brown  to  black. 
Some  are  smooth,  others  furrowed.  You  see  them  rugged 
with  rings,  encircling  lianas,  or  the  stems  of  great  fallen 
leaves.  Some  have  very  much  the  appearance  of  what  sailors 
term  umade  masts” — that  is,  they  seem  constructed  of  about 
a dozen  segments,  tightly  fitted  together  and  presenting  an 
almost  smoothly  rounded  surface. 


CHAPTER  XL. 


c' 

UPON  THE  SEA-LIKE  AMAZON. 

Every  morning  at  six  o’clock  decks  are  washed,  and  every 
one  must  turn  out  of  his  or  her  hammock  and  trice  it  np  out 
of  the  way  of  the  scrubbers.  This  daily  deck-washing  is  a 
great  nuisance.  Over  two  hours  are  consumed  in  what  might 
be  done  in  fifteen  minutes,  and  in  the  mean  time  a passen- 
ger can  not  find  a dry  place  on  the  steamer  in  which  to  sit. 
The  attendance  is  especially  bad.  No  care  whatever  is  taken 
of  the  cabins.  It  is  quite  impossible  to  get  clean  towels, 
and  if  you  wish  water  for  washing  you  must  go  and  draw 
it  yourself,  or  find  an  unoccupied  boy  to  get  it  for  you. 
Even  feeing  a servant  will  not  necessarily  get  a favor  done 
a second  time.  Candles  are  very  scarce ; so  are  clean  nap- 
kins. At  meal-times  the  passengers  do  not  keep  their  origi- 
nal seats,  but  sit  down  wherever  they  may  happen  to  be,  and 
when  the  bell  is  rung  such  a rush  is  made  that  several  times 
I have  had  to  walk  all  around  the  table  to  find  a vacant  seat 
— of  course,  with  a stained  table-cloth,  and  some  other  per- 
son’s soiled  napkin  before  me.  The  captain  takes  all  his 
meals  in  his  own  cabin,  out  of  which  he  is  seldom  seen.  The 
days  were  very  hot,  and  there  were  almost  always  heavy 
showers  in  the  afternoon  or  evening.  The  nights  were  suffi- 
ciently cold  for  a blanket  if  in  a cabin,  and  for  two  of  them 
if  in  a hammock.  At  night  it  is  no  unusual  thing  to  see  hus- 
band and  wife  sleeping  in  the  same  hammock.  Two  small 
children,  thus  placed,  look  natural  enough ; but  two  grown 
people  appear  rather  ridiculous.  We  have  two  pilots,  who 
relieve  each  other  every  four  hours.  They  sit  in  front  of 


356  ^AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

the  pilot-house,  and  keep  up  a constant  series  of  directions  to 
the  quartermaster  at  the  wheel  behind  them.  So  familiar  are 
these  men  with  the  vagaries  of  the  river,  that  we  go  ahead 
at  full  speed  all  night,  no  matter  how  dark  it  may  be.  The 
current  being  very  strong,  the  wheels  are  in  some  danger 
from  the  great  trunks  which  float  swiftly  down,  but  most  of 
these  are  avoided  by  an  expert  pilot.  The  steamer  is  steered, 
not  by  compass,  nor  even  by  the  stars,  here  so  very  bright, 
but  by  the  configuration  of  the  banks.  The  air  is  exceeding- 
ly damp,  and  everything  made  of  leather,  allowed  to  stand 
for  a few  days,  becomes  covered  with  the  down-like  fungi  of 
green  mold.  A good  deal  of  local  travel  gave  animation  to 
the  river ; we  put  down  and  took  up  passengers  at  every  sta- 
tion. The  principal  part  of  their  baggage  consisted  of  a 
hammock,  a pair  of  slippers,  and  a pet  bird,  dog,  or  monkey. 
A man  in  the  Amazon  Yalley,  before  walking,  invariably 
takes  up  his  bed.  The  well-to-do  passengers  bring  tin  trunks, 
which  preserve  their  contents  against  rain  and  insects.  The 
traditional  “ shirt-collar  and  pair  of  spurs  ” are  quite  equaled 
and  realized  in  the  children,  who  wander  and  play  all  over 
the  steamer  with  absolutely  nothing  on  save  a pair  of  shoes 
and  stockings. 

The  Xingu  has  two  mouths.  We  passed  through  the 
easterly  and  wider  one,  and  entered  the  Amazon  proper  by 
way  of  the  narrow  but  deep  westerly  branch.  Upon  the  left 
bank  I saw  the  first  high  land  since  leaving  Para.  A series 
of  densely  wooded  ridges  met  the  view,  perhaps  three  or  four 
hundred  feet  in  height,  lying  back  a short  distance  from  the 
river.  Looking  at  my  large  Portuguese  map,  I found  but 
two  or  three  other  distinct  clusters  of  a like  importance,  near 
the  river,  for  a distance  of  twenty-five  hundred  miles  from 
Para,  or  as  far  as  Nauta  in  Peru.  The  central  part  of  the 
Amazon  is  also,  it  appears,  throughout  its  entire  length,  full 
of  islands  and  sand-banks,  the  beginnings  of  islands ; and  the 
grown  islands  are  mostly  oblong  and  of  large  area.  They 
are  all,  of  course,  like  the  mainland,  thickly  covered  with 
vegetation.  In  this  respect,  and  in  that  of  the  great  number 


UPON  TEE  SEA-LIKE  AMAZON. 


357 


of  connecting  creeks,  lakes,  and  minor  brandies,  thongk 
some  of  these  are  so  large  as  to  seemingly  make  two  parallel 
Amazons,  this  gigantic  stream  has  no  rival  on  the  face  of  the 
globe.  It  realizes  the  Miltonic  phrase  “ ocean-stream.”  The 
optical  phenomena  of  mirage  is  frequently  observed.  The  east- 
ern or  lower  half  lacks  the  picturesque  element  derived  from 
tortnousness.  It  is  all  either  in  enormous  sea-like  expanses, 
with  water  horizons  before  and  behind  yon,  or  banked  by  long, 
parallel,  wooded  shores.  Its  tributaries,  however,  are  more 
or  less  winding.  The  lower  river  varies  from  two.  to  ten 
miles  in  width,  but  you  are  never  sure  of  not  mistaking  the 
shore  of  islands  for  the*  actual  banks.  The  Amazon  is  gen- 
erally very  deep — an  average  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet. 
Steamers  of  two  thousand  tons  can  at  all  seasons  of  the  year 
go  safely  up  to  Manaos,  a thousand  miles.  At  Tabatinga, 
in  Peru,  two  thousand  miles  from  the  Atlantic,  it  is  one 
and  a half  miles  wide.  The  Amazon  is  the  largest  river  in 
the  world — with  all  its  upper  windings  over  four  thousand 
miles  long — and  receives  eight  tributaries,  each  over  one 
thousand  miles  in  length.  The  area  of  the  basin  of  the 
Amazon  is  nearly  three  times  that  of  the  Mississippi.  The 
Amazon  and  its  tributaries  furnish  fifty  thousand  miles  of 
navigable  waters,  half  of  which  are  available  for  steamers.  In 
the  basin  of  this  mighty  river  an  area,  fifteen  hundred  miles 
long  and  one  thousand  broad,  is  covered  by  vast  forests. 
Here,  among  many  valuable  timbers,  you  find  the  rare  tor- 
toise-shell wood,  pronounced  the  most  beautiful  cabinet-wood 
in  the  world.  It  is,  however,  an  unhealthy  region,  and  so 
thinly  settled  that  there  is  scarcely  an  average  of  one  person 
to  ten  square  miles.  Speaking  of  forests  reminds  me  that 
those  of  South  America  (which  are  mostly  in  Brazil)  occupy 
about  two  thirds  of  its  surface,  and  that  three  fourths  of  the 
continent  may  be  regarded  as  tropical.  These  forests  differ 
in  at  least  one  particular  from  those  in  other  parts  of  the 
world,  in  that  many  of  the  largest  are  adorned  on  their  out- 
skirts with  the  most  brilliant  flowers.  In  fact,  everywhere 
the  magnitude,  variety,  and  gracefulness  of  the  trees,  and  the 


358  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


profusion  and  brilliancy  of  the  flowers,  are  extraordinary. 
Birds  also,  of  very  beautiful  plumage,  are  found  in  greater 
abundance  in  Brazil  than  in  any  other  part  of  the  world.  So 
far  as  the  inhabitants  of  the  water  were  concerned,  I noticed 
several  varieties  of  fish,  notably  porpoises  and  a few  alliga- 
tors, but  the  paucity  of  water-fowl  is  rather  striking.  A few 
black  ducks,  white  herons,  and  small  blue  and  brown  birds, 
are  all.  There  are  very  few  native  boats,  and  not  many  huts 
along  the  shore,  and  these  were  deserted,  being  half-sub- 
merged and  rendered  tenantless  by  the  rainy  season,  which 
was  just  over. 

Late  in  the  evening  of  the  third  day  we  reached  the  town 
of  Santarem,  the  second  on  the  river  in  size  and  commercial 
importance.  It  is  situated  directly  at  the  mouth  of  the  blue 
Tapajoz,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Amazon.  It  is  built  close 
down  to  the  water’s  edge,  and  has  a large  church,  some  fine 
public  buildings,  and  ordinary  two-story  dwellings.  In  its 
neighborhood  we  occasionally  saw  great  campos , or  meadows, 
level  as  the  floor  of  a house,  and  covered  with  the  thickest 
and  richest  of  green  grass.  ¥e  then  threaded  an  especially 
intricate  network  of  islands,  lakes,  rivers,  creeks,  and  sand- 
banks, and  halted  at  Obidos,  on  the  left  bank,  our  next  port  of 
call.  This  is  the  third  important  town  on  the  river.  W e made 
fast  to  a large  tree,  in  addition  to  our  anchor,  for  the  current 
runs  very  swiftly  here,  the  river  being  but  a little  more  than 
a mile  in  width,  though  very  deep.  Obidos,  standing  upon 
a rocky  bluff,  and  with  a background  of  hills,  is  very  attract- 
ive, though  it  counts  scarcely  a single  two-story  house,  and 
many  of  the  others  are  uninhabited  and  dilapidated.  As  I 
wandered  through  the  streets,  I saw  scarcely  any  one  at  the 
doors  or  windows.  It  seemed  almost  like  a cemetery.  The 
banks  were  considerably  occupied  by  cacao-plantations.  At 
a distance  these  somewhat  resemble  an  old  orange-grove. 
The  chocolate-trees  are  planted  three  or  four  feet  apart,  and 
are  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  in  height.  The  cacao  has  a 
brownish  bark ; and  directly  from  the  trunk,  or  large  branches, 
springs  a pulpy  fruit,  from  whose  flat,  oblong  seeds  the  choco- 


UPON  THE  SEA-LIKE  AMAZON. 


359 


late  of  commerce  is  made.  We  passed  some  curious  trading- 
boats  ; they  had  two  masts,  the  foremost  one  bearing  two 
yards,  and  the  deck  was  covered  with  a huge  round  cabin. 
These  boats  contain  a miscellaneous  stock  of  goods,  and  are 
sailed  to  villages  where  there  are  no  stores.  There  they 
remain  until  the  trade  is  exhausted,  when  they  journey  to 
another  village.  They  are  clumsy-looking  craft,  that  might 
do  justice  to  the  ancient  piratical  boats  of  the  Barbary  coast. 
A few  small  schooners,  with  rakish  masts,  were  also  seen.  To 
show  the  force  of  wind  and  current  on  the  Amazon  : vessels, 
with  furled  sails,  can  drift  to  its  mouth  from  the  base  of  the 
Andes,  twenty-six  hundred  miles,  in  two  months,  and  may 
be  brought  back  most  of  the  way  with  sails  tilled  by  the 
strong  easterly  breeze  which  generally  prevails.  The  east 
wind  is,  besides,  so  constant,  that  vessels  go  up  against  the 
powerful  current  as  rapidly  as  they  are  borne  by  the  current 
down-stream.  The  pirogues  are  propelled  by  short  paddles, 
which  have  enormous  and  nearly  round  blades.  The  large 
canoes  have  one  or  two  masts,  with  semi-cylindrical  straw 
cabins  in  the  center,  or  sometimes  large  wooden  cabins  in  the 
stern.  We  occasionally  passed  steamers  going  up  or  down 
the  river,  but  there  did  not  seem  to  be  much  shipping  of  any 
kind.  Perhaps,  however,  this  impression  was  due  to  the 
enormous  size  of  the  , river.  There  are  two  kinds  of  river 
huts : one  with  straw-mat  sides  and  straw  thatches,  and  one 
with  mud  walls  and  tile  roofs.  The  former  are  generally 
found  in  the  more  swampy  sections,  and  are  raised  upon  posts. 
Clustered  about  the  landing-places,  where  a few  pirogues  are 
generally  drawn  up  in  the  mud,  are  always  to  be  seen  a half- 
dozen  or  so  of  stark-naked  children.  Such  men  as  happen  to 
be  noticed  about  wear  nothing  but  trousers.  The  huts  are  sur- 
rounded with  such  food-supplies  as  mandioc,  maize,  bananas, 
and  sugar-cane,  and  perhaps  also  a little  tobacco.  Great  slabs 
of  the  joivavucu  fish  hang  in  the  sun  to  be  cured.  This  fish 
the  Indians  eat  when  fresh  also,  but,  as  it  has  a very  soapy 
taste,  it  is  not  much  relished  by  foreigners.  As  we  slowdy 
passed,  two  or  three  degenerate  curs  crouched  gloomily  about, 


360  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


and,  too  lazy  to  growl,  stared  at  ns  in  the  most  amusing 
manner.  The  Indians  are  mostly  engaged  in  collecting  and 
selling  wood,  which  many  of  the  steamers  use  for  their  boil- 
ers, though  the  vessels  of  the  Amazonian  Company  burn 
coal. 

On  the  morning  of  the  eighth  day  from  Para  we  entered* 
the  Pio  Negro,  the  spot  where  its  inky -black  stream  enters 
the  yellow  Amazon  being  marked  by  a distinct  and  abrupt 
line  extending  across  the  river.  After  the  dirty  Amazon, 
the  black  though  clear  Negro  was  a pleasant  change.  J ust 
below  the  junction  of  the  Negro  with  the  Amazon  is  a very 
large  island,  which,  indeed,  is  so  large  as  to  contain  an  exten- 
sive lake.  Directly  west  of  this  island  the  Amazon  is  called 
the  Solimoens,  and  still  farther  up  to  its  source  the  Mara- 
non.  The  Pio  IS  egro  contains  almost  no  islands  at  first,  but 
higher  up  it  is  nearly  choked  with  them.  A few  miles 
from  its  mouth,  on  the  left  bank,  is  situated  the  city  of  Ma- 
naos, the  capital  of  Amazonas.  The  river  here  is  a mile  in 
width.  The  city  of  Manaos  begins  about  thirty  feet  above 
the  river,  at  its  edge,  and  slopes  back  amid  so  much  vegeta- 
tion that  you  can  not  see  half  the  houses.  In  the  river  were 
half  a dozen  double- decked  steamers,  two  of  which,  one  bound 
for  the  river  Jurua,  and  the  other  for  Iquitos,  in  Peru,  soon 
fastened  themselves  alongside,  in  order  to  get  what  freight 
and  passengers  we  had  for  their  respective  destinations. 
Anchored  abreast  the  city  were  a small  gunboat,  a store- 
ship,  several  small  launches,  and,  near  the  shore,  a score  or  so 
of  Indian  craft.  The  most  conspicuous  object  of  Manaos,  to 
one  coming  up  from  the  Amazon,  is  a large,  newly  built 
market,  standing  on  a point  of  land  which  projects  into  the 
Negro.  The  market-house  is  made  of  zinc,  with  a very  orna- 
mental front.  In  what  seems  about  the  center  of  the  city, 
near  the  river,  upon  a prominent  knoll,  is  the  cathedral,  a 
great  pile  of  flaring  white  masonry.  Beyond  this,  to  the  left, 
is  an  old  fort,  not,  however,  disclosing  any  guns  above  its 
walls.  Near  the  cathedral,  on  the  opposite  side,  is  a very 
foreign-looking,  iron-girder  bridge,  spanning  a small  river. 


UPON  THE  SEA-LIKE  AMAZON. 


361 


At  the  extreme  eastern  end  of  the  city  is  a large  saw-mill. 
A great  fleet  of  boats  came  out  to  us  from  the  shore,  down 
to  which  were  speedily  driven  several  very  civilized-looking 
hackney-coaches ! Having  plenty  of  room,  Manaos  is  a city 
very  greatly  spread  out.  In  a long  walk  upon  shore  I no- 
ticed that  it  was  laid  out  at  right  angles,  that  the  thorough- 
fares,^  save  the  principal  one,  called  Brazil  Street,  were  nar- 
row, and  badly  paved  with  rough  cobble-stones,  and  that  the 
lighting  was  by  means  of  oil-lamps.  The  houses  are  mostly 
of  but  one  story.  The  ridges  of  some  of  the  roofs  were  so 
fully  covered  with  turkey-buzzards  as  almost  to  make  one  at 
first  think  they  were  an  artificial  ornament.  On  nearly  every 
corner  is  a store,  usually  of  miscellaneous  articles  and  provis- 
ions, but  sometimes  devoted  to  a special  line  of  goods.  The 
business  streets  smell  strongly  of  India-rubber.  In  the  great 
warehouses  you  see  enormous  masses  of  dried  caoutchouc- 
sap,  or  rubber,  resembling  great  cheeses,  especially  when  cut 
through.  These  are  black,  though  the  juice,  when  first  ob- 
tained from  the  trees,  is  a milky  white,  the  dark  shade  being 
produced  by  smoking.  Brazil  is  the  greatest  rubber-produc- 
ing country  of  the  world,  though  in  Asia  there  are  two  species, 
the  Urceola  and  Ficus,  denominated  as  elastica.  The  Bra- 
zilian tree  is  called  Siphonia  elastica , and  is  known  to  botan- 
ists as  a herbaceous  succulent.  I noticed  several  colleges, 
and  a fine,  large  building  at  the  southern  end  of  the  city  was 
inscribed  “Lyceo.”  Two  newspapers  are  published  here, 
each  three  times  a week.  One  is  styled  “ Amazonas,  a Lib- 
eral Organ.”  I have  already  alluded  to  the  hackney-coaches, 
and  here  also,  in  the  center  of  the  vast  Brazilian  forest,  are 
cafes,  billiard-saloons,  and  barber-shops.  An  opera-house, 
which,  if  completed,  would  have  rivaled  that  at  Para,  was 
begun,  but  want  of  funds  prevented  its  red-sandstone  walls 
reaching  a greater  height  than  about  ten  feet.  At  present 
the  inhabitants  receive  their  supplies  of  water  from  the 
Negro  and  small  streams  near  by,  whence  it  is  distributed 
over  the  city  in  jars  and  barrels ; but  some  fine  water-works, 
similar  to  those  at  Pernambuco,  are  being  built  for  Manaos. 


362  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

In  the  near  future  water  is  to  be  obtained  from  a spring-fed 
stream,  about  three  miles  distant,  pumped  into  a reservoir 
some  two  hundred  feet  higher  than  Manaos,  to  which  it  will 
be  conducted  in  a large  iron  pipe. 

My  walk  led  me  along  a wide  road,  shaded  by  hand- 
some lime-trees,  past  the  barracks,  with  red-sandstone  walls, 
brass  field-pieces,  and  sentinels  before  the  gate.  I then 
turned  to  the  right,  and  upon  high  ground,  commanding 
good  views  of  the  Rio  ISTegro  and  the  city,  I found  the  Bo- 
tanical Gardens  and  “ Botanical  Museum  of  Amazonas.” 
The  building  is  a handsome  two-story  structure,  faced  with 
tiles,  with  two  wings,  the  one  labeled  “ Museo,”  the  other 
“ Laboratorio.”  It  is  a sort  of  general  selection  of  the  prod- 
ucts of  nature  and  man  in  Amazonas — a vast  province  of 
eight  hundred  thousand  square  miles,  but  with  a population 
of  only  sixty  thousand  inhabitants.  It  is  open  to  the  Manaos 
public  only  on  Sundays,  but  to  students  and  foreign  travel- 
ers every  day  in  the  week.  The  first  or  ground  floor  is  de- 
voted to  a herbarium,  a chemical  laboratory,  and  draughting 
and  photographic  rooms.  Up-stairs  are  a library  of  works 
upon  Brazil,  and  a very  complete  ethnographical  collection, 
which  relates  to  the  Indian  tribes  of  this  great  province,  and 
illustrates  in  a very  interesting  manner  their  clothes,  domes- 
tic utensils,  weapons,  ornaments,  implements  ofttlie  chase, 
etc.  The  collection  numbers  some  three  thousand  specimens, 
and  I was  shown  a complete  manuscript  catalogue,  which 
was  expected  soon  to  be  published.  The  director  of  the  mu- 
seum is  the  famous  Brazilian  botanist,  ethnographer,  and 
explorer,  Dr.  J.  Barboza  Rodrigues,  from  whom  I received 
much  kindly  attention.  Dr.  Rodrigues  is  widely  known, 
among  botanists,  for  his  discovery  of  more  than  one  hundred 
varieties  of  palms  and  five  hundred  and  fifty  of  orchids,  hav- 
ing made  these  two  families  of  interesting  and  beautiful 
plants  his  specialties.  The  doctor  is  very  expert  with  pencil 
and  water-colors,  and  showed  me  a score  of  great  folios  full 
of  splendid  pictures  of  the  various  palms  and  orchids  which 
he  has  discovered.  He  has  published  a large  number  of 


363 


UPON  TEE  SEA-LIKE  AMAZON.  . 

learned  monographs  upon  the  ethnography,  archaeology,  and 
philology  of  the  Indian  tribes. 

On  my  return  trip  to  Para  there  were  but  about  a dozen 
first-class  passengers,  which  greatly  added  to  my  comfort, 
affording  increased  room  and  better  attention  at  table.  We 
kept  to  the  middle  of  the  river,  and  with  double  the  speed  of 
the  upward  voyage,  though  we  made  the  same  number  of 
calls.  The  downward  journey  is  more  pleasant,  because  one 
is  able  to  enjoy  the  fresh  southeast  trade-wind,  which  blows 
steadily  and  strongly  up  the  river  during  the  greater  part  of 
the  day.  We  took  on  board  many  beef-cattle,  embarking 
them  in  the  most  primitive  and  tiresome  manner  imaginable. 
In  fact,  four  hours  were  sometimes  consumed  in  doing  what 
might  have  been  done  in  fifteen  minutes.  The  cattle  were 
corraled  at  the  bank’s  edge,  from  which  we  were  always  dis- 
tant as  much  as  fifty  feet.  A little  wharf  might  have  been 
built  and  the  cattle  put  on  board  by  this  means,  or  they 
might  have  been  placed  in  a scow  and  drawn  alongside  with 
little  trouble  or  loss  of  time.  But,  no  — the  extraordi- 
nary method  adopted  was  as  follows : A bullock  being  las- 
soed within  the  corral,  an  attempt  was  made  to  get  him  down 
into  the  water,  and  then  to  swim  him  to  the  side  of  the 
steamer,  there  to  hoist  him  on  board  by  means  of  a stout  rope 
fastened  about  his  horns,  and  attached  to  a steam  winch.  A 
large  rope  was  stretched  from  shore  to  steamer,  and  plying 
up  and  down  this,  in  a canoe,  were  four  or  five  men  whose 
object  was  to  hold  the  animals  and  draw  them  to  the  side  of 
the  steamer,  where  one  of  the  men  in  the  bow  wTould  attempt 
to  slip  the  lifting  noose  over  the  horns.  Of  course,  with  all 
these  details,  and  the  bawling  of  the  men,  the  animals  were 
terribly  scared,  and  plunged,  or  ran,  or  stood  obstinately,  try- 
ing to  upset  the  canoe,  etc.  They  frequently  broke  away  also 
from  those  endeavoring  to  pull  them  from  the  corral  to  the 
steamer,  and  scampered  up  the  road  leading  to  town,  or  away 
into  the  forest.  In  order  to  capture  such  truants  as  these, 
two  or  three  mounted  men,  with  lassoes,  had  to  be  constantly 
employed.  To  add  to  the  trouble,  darkness  would  often  come 


364  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


on  before  the  cargo  was  completed,  and  an  animal  conld  only 
be  lassoed  by  the  light  given  by  flashes  of  lightning.  The 
men  laughed  and  shouted,  and  cracked  jokes,  and  seemed  to 
be  having  a most  enjoyable  time.  The  whole  scene  was  well 
illustrative  of  the  country  and  people ; and  I have  no  doubt 
that  a thousand  years  from  now,  if  there  are  any  cattle  re- 
maining in  these  provinces,  they  will  still  be  freighted  to 
Para  in  the  same  kind  of  steamer  and  hauled  on  board  in  the 
same  pristine  manner.  Our  cargo  up  the  river  had  consisted 
of  foreign  manufactured  articles  and  provisions,  and  that 
down  embraced  rubber,  cacao,  bananas,  Brazil-nuts,  and  beef- 
cattle.  Arrival  at  Para  happily  terminated  my  voyage  of 
two  thousand  miles  upon  the  giant  Amazon. 

In  continuing  my  journey,  I wished  to  go  from  Para  to 
Cayenne,  the  capital  of  French  Guiana,  a distance  of  some 
four  hundred  miles  up  the  coast  to  the  northward,  but  there 
was  no  steamer,  of  any  nationality,  taking  this  route.  In 
fact,  the  only  break  in  the  steamer  service  of  the  whole  of 
the  vast  sea-coast  of  South  America,  is  just  through  this  com- 
paratively short  distance,  though  from  Cayenne  the  connec- 
tion is  resumed,  and  you  can  go  on  along  the  coast  by  vari- 
ous lines,  calling  at  all  the  chief  seaports  until  you  reach  As- 
pinwall.  Nor  is  there  usually  any  ship  or  ocean- canoe  to  be 
obtained  at  Para.  The  voyage  is  occasionally  made  from 
Cayenne  south,  but  that  is  with  favoring  current  and  wind, 
and  the  return  journey  of  a canoe  has  been  known  to  last 
three  weeks.  I found,  therefore,  that  on  this  occasion  the 
“ longest  way  around  would  be  the  shortest  way  home.” 
This  was  to  go  to  Bridgetown,  in  Barbados,  the  southern- 
most of  the  Windward  Islands,  where  I might  get  an  Eng- 
lish steamer  to  Georgetown,  in  British  Guiana,  and  depart 
thence,  by  Dutch  steamer,  to  Paramaribo,  in  Dutch  Guiana, 
and  Anally  get  to  Cayenne  in  a French  steamer.  I must 
then  return  to  Georgetown,  and  go  on  to  the  Island  of  Trini- 
dad, in  order  to  ascend  the  Orinoco  and  visit  other  parts  of 
Venezuela.  So  I again  patronized  the  “ United  States  and 
Brazil  Steamship  Company,”  this  time  taking  passage  in  the 


UPON  THE  SEA-LIKE  AMAZON 


865 


Finance,  a sister-ship  of  that  in  which  I had  gone  from  Per- 
nambuco  to  Para.  Early  in  the  morning  we  put  our  pilot 
aboard  his  brig,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Para,  and  a few  hours 
later  we  passed  the  light-ship,  and  headed  toward  the  north. 
The  eastern  end  of  the  great  Island  of  Marajo,  being  low 
ground  and  far  distant,  was  not  visible.  During  the  after- 
noon we  crossed  the  equator — for  myself,  in  various  parts  of 
the  world,  the  eleventh  time — and  I entered  once  more  the 
northern  hemisphere.  We  were  soon  crossing  the  mouths 
of  the  Amazon,  fourteen  miles  wider  than  is  the  navigable 
length  of  what  we  are  wont  to  call  the  “ lordly  ” Hudson ! 
The  water  continued  all  day,  and  even  until  noon  the  follow- 
ing day,  a dirty,  yellowish-green  in  color.  Fresh  water  from 
the  Amazon  may  be  taken  up  in  the  sea  nearly  two  hundred 
miles  from  its  mouth ! 


CHAPTER  XLI. 


TO  THE  GUJIAXAS  YIA  BARBADOS. 

We  had  a pleasant  voyage  of  four  days  to  Barbados. 
The  island  is  encircled  by  coral  reefs,  and  visited  by  violent 
hurricanes,  which  make  the  navigation  dangerous  and  cause 
great  damage.  It  is  about  twenty  miles  in  length  and  half 
as  many  in  width.  It  is  low  and  undulating,  with  hills 
and  valleys,  and  sparsely  covered  with  trees;  but  the  soil 
is  fertile  and  very  minutely  cultivated,  as  it  must  be  with 
a dense  population  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  thou- 
sand negroes.  The  exports  are  sugar,  rum,  and  arrow-root, 
the  nutritive  starch  used  as  a medicinal  food.  This  plant 
acquires  its  strange  name  from  the  fact  that  the  Indians 
once  employed  its  roots  to  extract  the  poison  of  arrows. 
Barbados  belongs  to  Great  Britain,  and  is  the  most  impor- 
tant member  of  the  Windward  Islands.  It  has  its  own 
Legislature.  In  the  roadstead  of  Bridgetown,  the  capital, 
were  half  a dozen  goodly  sized  ships,  and  three  steamers  of 
the  Royal  Mail  Company,  namely,  one  each  from  Jamaica, 
Trinidad,  and  British  Guiana.  I was  rowed  ashore,  passed 
the  ordeal  of  the  custom-house  without  delay,  and  found 
quarters  at  the  Nile  Hotel,  in  a square  facing  an  inner  ship- 
ping basin  and  opposite  a small  bronze  statue  of  Lord  Nelson. 
A hotel  across  the  street  is  styled  the  Trafalgar  House,  so 
there  is  no  difficulty  in  realizing  that  one  is  in  a British  colony. 
In  the  center  of  the  square  is  a very  pretty  little  public  gar- 
den containing  a large  fountain.  On  one  side,  covering  an 
entire  block,  are  the  Government  offices,  substantial-looking 


TO  THE  GU TANAS  VIA  BARBADOS \ 


367 


edifices,  of  a rough  gray  stone,  two  stories  in  height.  A 
Gothic  tower,  containing  a handsome  four-faced  clock,  rises 
from  one  of  the  large  buildings.  The  streets  of  the  business 
portion  of  Barbados  are  generally  narrow,  and  macadamized 
with  a stone  whose  dust  is,  unfortunately,  very  trying  to  the 
eyes.  The  sidewalks  are  so  narrow  that  the  streets  have  to  be 
utilized  by  pedestrians.  The  buildings  are  of  every  size  and 
shape,  and  range  from  one  to  three  stories  in  height.  There 
are  several  large  stores  of  wonderfully  miscellaneous  con- 
tents, where  the  number  and  attentions  of  the  clerks  bring 
to  mind  the  cheaper  class  of  retail  stores  at  home.  These  are 
filled  all  day  long  by  a chattering,  chaffing  set  of  negroes, 
who  are  always  amusing.  The  business  part  of  Barbados 
being  compressed  into  a very  small  district,  the  streets  always 
present  a gay  and  animated  appearance.  Telephones  are  a 
wide-spread  convenience.  Good  and  cheap  hackney-carriages 
abound,  a tramway  runs  to  a suburb,  and  a railway  semicir- 
cles the  island.  The  cathedral  is  Episcopalian,  or,  more  ac- 
curately, Church  of  England.  It  is  an  interesting  old  pile, 
surrounded  by  crumbling  tombstones,  some  of  which  date 
from  the  sixteenth  century,  and  are  shaded  by  palms,  ferns, 
and  bread-fruits.  The  sacred  edifice  is  large,  with  stained- 
glass  windows  and  a good  organ,  and  the  walls  are  covered 
with  memorial  tablets,  while  the  floor  is  paved  with  grave- 
slabs.  In  the  Public  Buildings,  already  mentioned  as  occu- 
pying a block  near  the  shipping  basin,  are  the  two  Parlia- 
ment Houses,  the  Assembly  and  Council  Chamber,  surround- 
ed by  shrubs,  lawns,  and  flowers.  At  the  head  of  the  grand 
staircase  are  two  stained-glass  windows,  which  beautifully 
picture  Queen  Victoria  and  Prince  Albert,  both  in  full  state 
dress,  wTith  conventional  regalia.  A door  opens  from  the 
corridor  into  the  large  Assembly  room,  with  ponderous  ceil- 
ing made  of  huge  timbers,  and  circles  of  chairs  for  the  mem- 
bers. The  Council  Chamber  is  similar,  and,  in  addition, 
adorned  with  full-length  portraits  of  local  celebrities.  The 
remaining  rooms  consist  of  public  offices,  the  Government 
Library,  with  twenty  thousand  volumes  of  general  literature, 


368  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA, 


and  a large  apartment,  called  Albert  Hall,  where  traveling 
theatrical  companies  perform. 

One  afternoon  I rode  in  the  only  tramway  in  Bridgetown, 
which  runs  in  a southerly  direction  to  a suburb  called  Hast- 
ings. There  are  but  four  towns  in  Barbados  besides  the  cap- 
ital. Hastings  is  the  English  garrison-post.  Here  are  neat, 
clean-looking  barracks,  military  storehouses,  and  a great  level, 
grassy  plain  for  a drill  and  parade  ground.  Natives  are 
employed  as  soldiers  as  well  as  police,  but,  as  the  blacks  vastly 
outnumber  the  whites  of  the  island,  it  is  found  advisable  to 
keep  a stout  contingent  of  British  troops  always  on  hand. 
Beyond  the  garrison,  and  at  the  terminus  of  the  tramway,  a 
hotel,  with  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  rooms,  has  just  been 
erected,  with  a view  to  luring  some  of  New  York’s  citizens, 
in  the  winter  season,  to  Barbados  as  a sanitarium,  the  cli- 
mate of  the  island,  though  warm,  being  equable  and  healthy. 
A fine  bathing-beach  is  one  of  the  attractions.  Others  are 
the  steamer,  post,  and  telegraph  facilities,  and  the  fact  that 
English  is  the  language  of  the  island.  Barbados  is  especially 
well  served  with  steamers  plying  to  Europe,  the  three  Amer- 
icas, and  the  West  India  Islands.  Schooners  of  about  two 
hundred  tons  burden  also  connect  with  the  other  islands  and 
with  British  Guiana. 

Another  day  I took  a trip  in  the  little  railway  which  runs 
in  a circular  course  toward  the  south  and  east  side  of  the 
island,  and  then  to  the  north,  along  the  edge  of  the  ocean. 
The  total  length  of  this  road  is  thirty  miles.  It  is  a narrow 
gauge,  with  small  light  cars  and  small  locomotives,  all,  of 
course,  of  English  manufacture.  Two  trains  each  way  are 
run  daily,  but  the  road  is  not  in  a very  prosperous  condition, 
notwithstanding  that  its  first  cost  could  not  have  been  very 
heavy,  owing  to  the  level  character  of  the  island.  Bridge- 
town is  spread  over  a good  deal  of  ground,  the  dwellings  of 
the  negroes  being  all  of  wood,  and  one  story  in  height.  They 
are  very  small,  often  appearing  like  rows  of  dog-kennels  along 
the  narrow  streets.  The  houses  of  the  English  residents  are 
generally  built  of  coral  and  lime-like  rock.  The  latter  seems 


TO  THE  GUI  ANAS  VIA  BARBADOS.  369 

to  be  the  basis  of  the  whole  island,  is  quarried  in  a compara- 
tively soft  condition,  and  hardens  on  exposure  to  the  air. 
These  residences  are  large,  generally  two  stories  in  height, 
with  widely  protecting  verandas  and  liberal  supplies  of 
large  Venetian  blinds.  They  stand  in  beautiful  gardens  of 
trees,  shrubs,  and  flowers,  with  neatly  trimmed  lawns.  The 
bend  of  the  trees,  all  in  one  direction,  plainly  indicates  the 
force  and  direction  of  the  trade-winds.  The  train  passes 
through  immense  plantations  of  sugar-cane,  together  with 
fields  of  maize  and  potatoes,  more  especially  for  the  labor- 
ers. Large  sugar-mills,  with  tall  chimneys,  and  huge  wind- 
mills for  grinding  cane  and  pumping  water,  with  great 
farm-houses  for  the  proprietors  or  managers,  and  small  vil- 
lages of  toy  houses  for  the  negro  hands,  are  seen  in  every 
direction.  The  round  stone  towers,  and  huge,  wood  and  sail 
arms  of  the  windmills  remind  one  strongly  of  Holland.  Bar- 
bados is  exceedingly  bare' of  trees — you  see  them  only  about 
the  farm-houses  or  in  stray  copses — and  yet,  owing  to  the 
beneficent  trade-winds,  rain  falls  plenteously.  Barely  is 
there  drought,  and  even  then  water  may  always  be  found  at 
a .very  few  feet  below  the  surface.  Upon  the  eastern  coast 
you  notice  great,  uncouth  masses  of  coral  rock,  a long  way 
from  shore,  out  in  the  surf,  whose  continual  beating  has 
worn  away  their  bases,  so  that  some  appear  like  huge  mush- 
rooms, while  others  are  mutilated  like  the  Egyptian  Sphinx. 
Hear  one  of  the  stations  stands  Codrington  College,  the 
largest  and  best-appointed  institution  of  the  kind  in  the 
West  Indies.  The  round  railway  trip  occupied  four  hours. 

I had  a few  days  to  wait  for  the  bi-monthly  steamer  to 
Georgetown,  British  Guiana.  It  was  one  of  the  Boyal  Mail 
line,  all  fine  vessels  built  on  one  model — long,  low,  narrow, 
with  very  sharp  prow  and  raking  masts.  They  are  fast,  clean, 
well  served,  and  well  disciplined,  though  it  is  hardly  necessary 
to  speak  of  the  last,  as  this  is  a qualification  always  possessed 
by  English  steamers.  The  cabins  are  large,  and  extend  the 
entire  length  of  the  vessel.  A jpunkah , or  fan-machine,  is 
provided  for  the  saloon-table.  Hegroes,  and  natives  of  the 
24 


370  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA, 


West  Indies  generally,  are  employed  both  as  sailors  and  wait- 
ers. In  short,  these  vessels  are  admirably  adapted  to  the 
tropical  regions  in  which  they  mostly  ply,  and  are  purposely 
built  low  and  strong,  to  withstand  the  hurricanes  prevalent 
in  the  West  Indies.  The  big  ocean-steamship  direct  from 
Southampton  brought  us  a large  number  of  cabin-passen- 
gers, as  she  did  also  to  the  other  connecting  boats,  those  for 
Trinidad  and  St.  Thomas.  The  steamer  from  England  was 
to  go  on  to  Hayti,  Jamaica,  and  Aspinwall.  On  the  second 
day  out,  the  bright  blue  color  of  the  deep  ocean  began  to 
change  to  the  dull  green  of  the  comparatively  shallow  sea. 
Great  sand-banks  and  mud-flats  run  far  out  from  the  shores 
of  the  three  Guianas.  The  coast  of  British  Guiana  is  so 
extremely  low,  that  the  first  intimation  one  has  of  it  is  an 
occasional  fringe  of  trees,  or  more  probably  some  of  the 
tall  chimneys  of  the  sugar-plantations,  which  appear  to  rise 
directly  out  of  the  water.  All  the  coast,  from  above  the 
Essequibo  Biver  to  the  Corentyn,  is  one  continuous  level  of 
cane-fields.  At  noon  we  took  a pilot  from  the  light-ship,  and 
anchored  fourteen  miles  from  Georgetown,  which,  with  its 
shipping  in  the  river  in  front  of  it,  was  faintly  visible.  The 
coast,  both  above  and  below  the  Demerara  Biver,  increased  a 
little  in  height.  The  water  became  of  a dirty,  thick,  yellow 
color.  In  making  for  the  river  a bar  has  to  be  crossed,  on 
which,  even  at  high  tide,  there  are  but  eighteen  feet  of 
water.  The  steamers  of  this  branch  of  the  Boyal  Mail  serv- 
ice are,  therefore,  purposely  made  of  a draught  to  suit  this 
shoal.  Of  the  city  of  Georgtown,  from  the  ocean,  but  little 
may  be  seen,  so  low  and  level  is  the  ground  upon  which  it  is 
built,  and  so  thickly  are  its  gardens  and  streets  filled  with 
trees,  shrubs,  and  flowers.  You  seem  to  see  only  a tall,  round 
lighthouse,  the  towers  of  a couple  of  public  buildings,  the 
hotel  and  market,  and  a picturesque  church-steeple.  The 
city  stands  upon  the  east  bank  of  the  Demerara  Biver,  which 
here,  at  its  entrance  into  the  ocean,  is  about  a mile  in  width. 
It  extends  a couple  of  miles  along  the  river,  and  nearly  the 
same  distance  into  the  interior.  Upon  the  opposite  side  are 


TO  TEE  GUI  AN  AS  VIA  BARBADOS. 


371 


sugar  estates  and  a small  village  which  is  reached  by  ferry. 
The  coast  in  the  distance  seems  lined  with  mangroves  and 
cocoanut-palms.  At  the  northern  extremity  of  the  city,  on 
ocean  and  river,  is  a fort,  with  strong,  sloping  walls  of  massive 
masonry,  and  low  parapet,  over  which  ominously  peer  a dozen 
or  more  cannon.  Now  we  are  abreast  of  the  lighthouse,  and 
not  far  from  here  are  the  buildings  of  the  railway  terminus. 
The  line  runs  along  the  coast,  to  the  eastward,  a distance  of 
twenty  miles.  This  is  about  one  third  of  the  distance  to  the 
town  of  Berbice — the  only  other  town  in  British  Guiana — to 
which  it  is  intended  some  day  to  extend  the  railroad.  Hence 
to  the  extreme  southern  point  of  the  city  the  river-bank  is 
flanked  with  wharves  covered  with  great  warehouses  of  wood 
and  galvanized  iron.  Many  ships  and  a few  steamers  are 
always  loading  or  unloading  at  these  warehouses,  but  the 
larger  vessels — about  a score  of  ships  and  four  steamers — 
are  lying  in  a long  row  in  the  stream,  a short  distance  from 
the  wharves.  The  first  of  these  was  a great  clipper-ship,  just 
arrived  from  Calcutta,  with  several  hundred  Hindoo  coolies, 
or  laborers,  aboard.  Our  steamer  anchors,  and,  after  submit- 
ting to  a nominal  inspection  of  baggage,  the  passengers  go  on 
shore  in  a little  iron  tender.  The  first  impressions  of  a visitor, 
as  he  lands  and  walks  around,  or  perhaps  rides  in  one  of  the 
little  hackney  victorias  with  which  the  place  abounds,  are 
that  he  has  arrived  at  a clean,  orderly,  busy,  and  pretty  little 
city.  The  wharves  present  scenes  of  bustling  commerce. 
The  first  street,  called  Water  Street,  running  parallel  with 
the  river,  is  the  chief  seat  of  the  warehouses  and  merchants’ 
stores.  As  you  move  along  toward  your  hotel,  you  are  struck 
with  the  number  and  great  variety  of  races  represented — 
Hindoos,  Parsees,  Chinese,  negroes,  Portuguese,  creoles,  and 
whites.  Your  next  surprise  will  probably  be  in  finding  a 
very  good  hotel — the  “ Tower  Hotel,”  so  called  from  its  high 
tower,  which  contains  the  winding  staircase  connecting  its 
four  stories,  and  from  the  belvedere  of  which  a capital  view 
of  the  city  and  river  may  be  obtained.  This  hotel  is  new, 
and  contains  large,  airy  sleeping-rooms,  with  abundance  of 


/ 


372  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

windows.  It  also  includes  public  and  private  dining-rooms, 
ladies’  parlor,  gentlemen’s  reading-room,  a billiard-room,  and 
a bar-room.  The  deep  porticoes,  shaded  by  great  Venetian 
blinds,  and  furnished  with  chairs  and  tables,  are  pleasant 
lounging-places. 

Georgetown  is  laid  out  at  right  angles,  with  numbers  of 
parks  and  gardens.  Its  streets  are  broad  and  macadamized, 
and  lighted  at  night  by  gas.  The  sidewalks  are  of  cement, 
or  of  blocks  of  a composition  of  small  stones  and  asphalt, 
from  the  famous  pitch-lake  in  the  Island  of  Trinidad. 
Through  many  of  its  streets  run  canals,  a reminiscence  of 
the  Dutch,  who  originally  established  Georgetown,  and  there 
copied  their  maritime  towns  at  home.  Many  of  the  public 
and  private  buildings,  in  their  peculiar  style  of  architecture, 
and  their  gable-ends  facing  the  streets,  call  to  mind  Holland. 
The  canals  are  not  unhealthful,  and  serve  a useful  purpose 
during  the  rainy  season,  when  they  carry  off  the  surplus  sur- 
face water.  The  stores  and  dwelling-houses  of  Georgetown 
are  generally  built  of  wood  and  galvanized  iron,  with  roofs  of 
slate  or  shingle,  and  all,  owing  to  the  low  land,  have  to  be 
erected  on  brick  pillars  or  heavy  wooden  piles.  The  size  and 
vast  stocks  of  some  of  the  larger  stores,  supplying  everything 
from  bijouterie  to  boots,  from  staples  to  stationery,  are  very 
astonishing.  Several  of  these  repositories  are  handsomely 
and  appropriately  fitted  up.  Some  of  the  public  buildings 
are  of  brick  and  stucco.  The  dwellings  generally  stand 
detached  and  secluded  in  beautiful  gardens.  They  are  two 
stories  in  height,  rarely  of  three,  with  pretty  towers  and  cu- 
polas. One  sees  numbers  of  large  wooden  and  iron  tanks  near 
them,  which  are  used  as  cisterns  for  holding  rain-water — the 
drinking-water  of  the  city.  The  latter  is  well  supplied  with 
cabs,  which  are  both  good  and  cheap — by  distance  to  any 
part  of  the  city,  the  price  is  one  shilling ; by  time,  four  shil- 
lings the  hour.  Besides  the  cab-stands,  one  notices  stands  of 
mule-carts  and  even  of  donkey-carts.  Three  lines  of  tram- 
way start  from  the  post-office,  which  is  centrally  located  and 
near  the  river.  One  line  runs  northerly  to  the  railway-station, 


A Chinese  Immigrant , Georgetown, 


TO  THE  GUI  AN  AS  VIA  BARBADOS.  373 

another  eastwardly  to  the  Botanical  Gardens,  and  another 
westwardly  around  to  the  first  great  plantation  on  the  south, 
called  “ La  Penitence.”  Georgetown  has  an  “elegant  suffi- 
ciency ” of  two  very  different  kinds  of  public  resorts,  churches 
and  clubs.  You  have  a choice  of  the  churches,  or  chapels, 
of  England,  Scotland,  the  Wesleyan  Methodists,  Roman 
Catholics,  United  Presbyterians,  Congregational  Dissenters, 
the  London  Missionary  Society,  the  Moravians,  Lutherans, 
the  coolie  missions,  Indian  missions,  sailors’  missions,  a Port- 
uguese mission,  and  so  on.  As  there  are  only  two  thousand 
whites  in  the  whole  colony,  some  of  the  English  churches 
must  be  content  with  rather  slim  congregations.  Then,  as 
to  clubs,  besides  the  usual  social  and  convivial  cliques  pecul- 
iar to  large  cities,  I find  chess,  rowing,  athletic,  lawn-tennis, 
cricket,  rifle,  and  horse-racing  clubs. 

The  sea-front  of  British  Guiana  is  about  three  hundred 
miles  in  length,  with  an  interior  depth  of  perhaps  four  hun- 
dred miles.  Its  entire  population  is  now  set  down  at  two 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand,  of  which  some  forty  thousand 
are  allotted  to  the  capital.  The  population  of  the  colony  is 
quite  as  mixed  as  that  of  the  metropolis.  Only  about  'eight 
thousand  aborigines  are  supposed  to  be  left.  When  slavery 
was  abolished,  in  1814,  it  was  found  necessary  to  recruit  the 
ranks  of  laborers  by  immigration.  There  are  now  in  the 
country  from  the  West  India  Islands  about  eighteen  thousand 
immigrants  ; from  India  sixty-five  thousand ; from  China 
five  thousand;  from  Madeira  and  the  Azores  seven  thou- 
sand ; from  Africa  five  thousand ; or  a total  of  one  hundred 
thousand  immigrants  employed  as  agricultural  laborers. 
Along  the  coasts,  and  from  twenty  to  fifty  miles  inland,  are 
the  cultivated  lands — mud  flats  or  alluvial  deposits,  composed 
chiefly  of  blue  clay  impregnated  with  sea-salt,  and  rich  with 
decomposed  vegetable  matter.  A large  part  is  below  high- 
water  mark.  Numerous  fertile  islands,  some  from  twelve  to 
fifteen  miles  in  length,  lying  in  the  estuary  of  the  Essequibo, 
are  under  sugar-cane  cultivation.  The  interior  of  the  colony 
consists  of  well-watered  savannas,  used  for  cattle-raising, 


374  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


and  also  dense  forests  of  timber,  very  valuable  for  house  and 
ship  building,  and  for  household  furniture.  Though  cattle- 
farms  and  cocoa,  plantain,  and  cocoanut  estates  alternate  with 
each  other,  the  vast  bulk  of  the  exports  is  sugar.  The  prod- 
ucts of  the  colony  would,  in  fact,  stand  somewhat  in  this 
ratio  of  supply  : sugar,  rum,  molasses,  timber,  cocoannts,  and 
charcoal.  A fine,  large  sugar  estate — to  give  the  reader  a 
general  idea — will  have,  perhaps,  two  thousand  acres  under 
cultivation,  twelve  hundred  laborers,  and  a yearly  output  of 
fonr  thousand  tons  of  sugar.  Many  of  these  sugar  estates 
have  fancy  or  sentimental  names,  in  Dutch  or  French,  some 
of  which  are  humorously  as  well  as  pathetically  suggestive — 
as  “ La  Bonne  Intention  ” (The  Good  Intention) ; “ Goedver- 
wagting”  (Good  Expectation  of  Hope);  “Malgre  Tout”  (In 
spite  of  All);  “Vive  la  Force!”  (Glory  to  Power);  and 
■“  Zorg  ” (Care,  Anxiety).  Each  of  these  great  estates 
forms  a small  community  by  itself,  and  comprises — besides 
the  male  and  female  laborers  — manager,  overseers,  engi- 
neers, a doctor,  druggist,  teacher,  carpenter,  blacksmith, 
book-keepers,'  chaplain,  police,  and  an  attorney  and  agents 
in  Georgetown. 

British  Guiana  is  divided  into  the  three  provinces  of 
Demerara,  Essequibo,  and  Berbice,  and  these  again  are  sub- 
divided into  parishes,  named,  singularly  enough,  after  the 
Christian  Evangelists  and  some  of  the  alleged  saints.  It  has 
a peculiar  sort  of  government,  its  political  constitution  hav- 
ing been  adopted  from  that  established  by  its  original  Dutch 
possessors.  The  functions  of  a Legislative  Council  and 
House  of  Assembly  are  performed  by  the  Governor  and 
a Court  of  Policy,  which,  besides  the  chief  magistrate,  is 
composed  of  four  official  members  appointed  by  the  crowrn, 
and  five  elective  members  nominated  by  a body  called  the 
Electoral  College  and  appointed  by  the  court.  The  Gov- 
ernor and  the  Court  of  Policy  attend  to  all  public  adminis- 
tration, save  taxation  and  finance.  These  require  in  addition 
the  services  of  six  Financial  representatives,  elected  by  their 
several  constituencies,  the  assemblage  thus  constituted  form- 


TO  TEE  GUI  AN  AS  VIA  BARBADOS. 


375 


ing  what  is  termed  the  Combined  Court.  The  executive 
power  is  vested  in  the  Governor,  whose  annual  salary  is  fixed 
at  the  handsome  figure  of  twenty-five  thousand  dollars,  with 
twelve  thousand  dollars  additional  for  what  are  not  very 
exactly  outlined  as  “contingencies.”  The  Governor  is  elect- 
ed for  seven  years. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 


A BRITISH  COLONY. 

Georgetown  is  not  very  rich  in  fine  public  buildings. 
The  most  attractive  of  them,  however,  is  the  new  Law  Courts, 
which  is  nearly  completed.  This  is  a large,  L-shaped  build- 
ing, to  which  an  entire  square  has  been  assigned.  It  is  two 
stories  in  height,  and  built  in  the  “ Queen  Anne”  style.  It 
is  fire-proof,  the  lower  story  being  of  brick,  stucco,  and  iron, 
with  cement  floors.  The  doors  are  of  iron,  the  window- 
frames  of  iron,  the  staircases  of  iron.  The  rooms  above  are 
beautifully  furnished  in  varnished  pine  and  hard,  native 
woods,  and  are  in  a sort  of  Dutch  Renaissance  style.  Hear 
the  new  Law  Courts  stands  what  is  styled,  jpar  excellence, 
the  Public  Building — a large,  two-story,  stuccoed  structure, 
with  a columned  front  and  low  central  dome,  occupying  an 
entire  square,  and  surrounded  by  neat  lawns  and  pretty  shrub 
and  flower  gardens.  Between  the  Public  Building  and  the 
river  is  the  market,  an  enormous  structure  of  galvanized  iron, 
which  would  do  credit  to  any  city.  It  occupies  an  entire 
square.  In  the  central  facade  is  a great  clock-tower,  which 
has  a fine  belvedere  atop.  One  half  of  the  interior  is  ar- 
ranged as  stalls  for  miscellaneous  merchandise,  and  the  re- 
mainder is  occupied  by  market-women,  who  crouch  upon  the 
floor  with  their  produce  grouped  about  them,  as  is  their  wont 
all  over  South  America.  But  comparatively  few  of  the 
stalls  were  leased,  showing  thereby,  as  their  rent  is  not  high, 
that  this  great  market  is  rather  in  advance  of  the  present 
requirements  of  the  city.  The  finest,  and  largest  church  in 
Georgetown  is  the  Roman  Catholic  Cathedral,  which  is  built 


Colonial  Produce , British  Guiana. 


A BRITISH  COLONY. 


377 


entirely  of  wood,  and  the  greater  part  of  it  of  the  hard  woods 
grown  in  the  colony.  This  is  the  church  that  has  the  lofty 
and  highly  ornamental  spire,  which  forms  a picturesque  feat- 
ure in  the  general  view  of  the  city  as  obtained  from  the  off- 
ing. The  cathedral,  whose  architecture  is  Gothic,  has  some 
tine  stained-glass  windows,  a high  altar  of  marble  and  wood, 
and  two  good  organs.  In  the  post-office  building  a large 
room  contains  what  is  styled  the  “ British  Guiana  Museum  ” 
— a collection  representing  the  three  kingdoms  of  nature. 
It  is  open  to  the  public  from  10  a.  m.  to  5 p.  m.  daily.  In 
the  same  building  are  the  reading-rooms  and  library  of  the 
Royal  Agricultural  and  Commercial  Society.  The  rooms  are 
large  and  comfortable,  and  fully  supplied  with  European 
periodicals,  while  a miscellaneous  library  of  about  ten  thou- 
sand volumes  lines  the  walls  of  one  of  them.  There  are  three 
extensive  collections  of  books  in  three  of  the  large  stores — 
no  store  appearing  to  be  devoted  to  a single  line  of  goods ; 
so  that,  with  the  local  periodicals,  one  has  ample  literary  ex- 
ercise and  food.  The  daily,  bi-weekly,  and  weekly  news- 
papers, the  monthly  and  quarterly  magazines,  a bi-monthly 
“ Mercantile  Intelligencer,”  an  annual  blue-book,  and  a bi- 
weekly “ Official  Gazette,”  give  an  immense  amount  of  local 
and  statistical  information.  A building  called  Philharmonic 
Hall  is  used  as  a theatre.  It  contains  about  six  hundred  seats. 
In  the  center  of  the  front  row  are  some  chairs  upholstered  in 
blue  velvet,  for  the  use  of  the  Governor  and  family.  The 
coat-of-arms  of  England,  carved  in  wood,  and  highly  colored, 
adorns  the  center  of  the  proscenium  arch,  with  the  motto, 
“ The  world’s  a stage,  the  men  and  women  merely  players,” 
extending  across  below  it.  The  hall  is  lighted  by  large  crys- 
tal chandeliers,  and  its  walls  are  decorated  with  busts  and 
the  names  of  famous  musicians  and  poets.  Along  with  the 
great  names  of  Shakespeare,  Milton,  Scott,  and  Moore,  I was 
agreeably  surprised  to  behold  that  of  Longfellow,  and  dis- 
appointed not  to  see  that  of  Byron.  This  theatre  is  occupied 
by  strolling  companies,  and  is  also  used  for  musical,  literary, 
and  other  public  meetings  and  entertainments. 


378  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

The  residence  of  the  Governor  and  family— called  the 
Government  House — is  a plain,  unpretending  structure,  of 
three  stories,  with  a jporte-cochere , a few  stained-glass  windows, 
and  some  belvederes.  The  building  is  surrounded  by  lawns, 
shrubs,  and  flowers,  and  a native  soldier,  in  Zouave  uniform, 
stands  on  guard  at  the  gate.  The  Governor  holds  a public 
reception  once  a week.  Hear  the  Government  House  is  a 
large  park,  occupying  an  entire  square,  called  the  Promenade 
Gardens,  which  is  laid  out  in  beds  and  paths,  and  filled  with 
an  extraordinary  variety  of  those  inevitable  accompaniments 
— trees,  shrubs,  and  flowers.  So  luxuriant,  however,  is  the 
growth  of  this  tropical  verdure,  that  one  can  not  distinguish 
well  the  different  sorts  of  plants,  the  beds  being  simply  a 
wild  tangle  of  trunk,  leaf,  vine,  and  blossom.  Especially 
striking,  however,  to  a stranger  from  another  clime,  are  the 
plants  with  colored  leaves,  the  palms,  the  orchids,  and  the 
cacti  family.  The  borders  to  the  beds  are  of  rough  stones, 
and  the  paths  are  of  broken  shells.  In  the  center  of  the 
gardens  is  an  octagonal  pavilion,  in  which  the  military  band 
plays  upon  two  afternoons  of  each  week.  There  are  several 
fashionable  drives  and  promenades  in  Georgetown.  One  is 
to  the  sea  wall  and  esplanade.  The  sea-wall  extends  for  a 
mile  or  so  along  the  coast,  and,  its  top  being  cemented  and 
provided  with  settees,  it  makes  a fine  promenade  in  the  early 
morning  or  late  afternoon,  with  the  cool  breezes  and  widely 
extended  views  of  the  ocean.  A road  runs  parallel  with  the 
wall,  and  at  a certain  point  a colored  military  band  plays 
upon  two  afternoons  of  the  week.  The  Botanical  Gardens, 
about  a hundred  and  fifty  acres  in  extent,  lie  at  the  eastern 
extremity  of  the  city.  Besides  affording  a means  of  recrea- 
tion and  instruction,  nurseries  are  here  formed  for  extending 
agricultural  industries  by  introducing  new  products.  Space 
is  lacking  to  particularize  the  varied  rarities  and  beauties  of 
this  splendid  collection ; but,  in  referring  to  those  gems  of 
aquatic  plants  known  as  the  Victoria  Begia,  I may  remind 
the  reader  that  this  queen  of  lilies  was  first  found  in  British 
Guiana,  up  the  Berbice  Itiver,  about  half  a century  ago. 


A BRITISH  COLONY. 


379 


Near  Georgetown,  to  the  eastward,  is  an  old,  unused  canal, 
which,  for  a distance  of  about  three  miles,  is  completely  filled 
with  this  interesting  species  of  lily.  Here  you  may  behold 
it  in  a state  of  luxuriance  impossible  to  be  obtained  artifi- 
cially under  glass.  Large,  spreading  leaves,  five  feet  in 
diameter,  with  rims  four  inches  hi'gh,  and  immense  rose- 
white  flowers,  two  feet  in  diameter — there,  thanks  to  heat 
and  moisture,  do  honor  to  the  name  of  Queen  Victoria! 
Georgetown  being  only  seven  degrees  north  of  the  equator, 
is  very  warm,  but  the  days  are  generally  freshened  by  brisk 
sea-breezes,  so  that,  with  cooling  baths  and  thin  clothing,  one 
may  keep  passably  comfortable,  and  the  nights  being  tem- 
pered by  land-breezes,  one  may  always  get  rest.  The  climate 
is  therefore  not  unhealthy,  save  on  the  occurrence  of  epidemic 
yellow  fever,  which  is  extremely  rare.  The  victims  are 
almost  exclusively  from  the  foreign  population. 

During  my  stay  in  Georgetown  I made  several  trips  into 
the  interior  of  the  colony.  One  was  up  the  Essequibo  and 
the  Mazaruni,  to  what  is  termed  Georgetown  Settlement,  the 
penal  colony  of  British  Guiana,  distant  about  sixty-five  miles 
from  the  capital.  Little  iron,  paddle-wheel  steamers,  each 
of  about  one  hundred  tons  burden,  ply  twice  a week,  going 
one  day  and  returning  the  following,  up  the  Essequibo,  Deme- 
rara,  and  Berbice  Bivers.  These  steamers  are  of  very  light 
draught,  only  three  to  six  feet.  They  carry  two  classes  of 
passengers,  and  provide  meals,  but  no  state-rooms.  We  had 
only  two  or  three  passengers  with  first-class  tickets,  but  the 
second-class  section  was  crowded  with  Hindoos,  Mussulmans, 
Chinese,  negroes,  and  creoles,  who  sang  and  played  on  musical 
instruments,  and  chattered,  scrambled,  and  wrangled  through- 
out the  whole  voyage.  We  left  Georgetown  at  eight  in  the 
morning,  going  down  the  Demerara  River,  and  around  the 
ocean  to  the  westward,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Essequibo. 
Though  drawing  but  little  water,  we  were  obliged  to  keep 
several  miles  from  the  coast,  which  presented  nothing  but 
low  land,  with  plantation  succeeding  plantation.  The  mouth 
of  the  Essequibo  is  about  fifteen  miles  in  width,  and  full  of 


380  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


islands,  some  of  which  are  covered  with  cane  fields.  The 
river,  however,  gradually  narrowed  to  five  miles,  with  low, 
level  banks  covered  with  forest.  The  water  changes  in  color 
from  a dirty  yellow  to  a brownish  black.  The  banks  are 
very  thinly  settled.  "Wood-cutting  and  stone-quarrying  seem 
to  be  the  only  commercial  advantages  proffered.  At  the 
junction  of  the  Essequibo  and  Mazaruni,  on  the  south  bank, 
is  a large  village,  half  concealed  by  rank  vegetation,  and 
called  Bartica  Grove.  It  is  the  home  of  some  remarkably 
beautiful  palms.  From  this  spot  upward  the  Essequibo  is 
crowded  with  small  islands,  and  soon  becomes  so  filled  with 
rapids  as  to  be  navigable  only  by  canoes.  The  penal  settle- 
ment occupies  a tolerably  high  point  of  land  on  the  north 
bank  of  the  Mazaruni  River.  A short  distance  beyond  it,  a 
considerable  river,  called  the  Cuyani,  empties  into  the  Maza- 
runi. This,  like  all  the  rivers  of  British  Guiana,  is  broken 
by  rapids  farther  up.  The  penal  settlement  calls  for  no 
extended  notice.  The  situation  is  wholesome,  being  wind- 
swept, and  the  forest  has  been  cleared  for  a long  distance 
back.  The  buildings  bear  the  conventionally  grim  aspect  of 
a prison.  A square  stone  tower  has  a large  clock,  which  sol- 
emnly strikes  the  hours  and  quarters.  The  officials  live 
round  about,  in  comfortable  houses,  shaded  by  mango,  palm, 
and  bamboo  trees.  There  are  some  three  or  four  hundred 
convicts,  the  majority  being  imprisoned  for  theft,  although 
not  a few  have  been  convicted  of  murder  and  other  grave 
crimes,  which  receive  life-sentences.  I slept  in  the  cabin  of 
the  steamer,  and  returned  to  Georgetown  the  following 
morning. 

A still  more  interesting  excursion  was  that  up  the  Deme- 
rara  to  Akyma,  a distance  of  nearly  a hundred  miles  from 
the  capital.  The  fare  was  two  dollars,  and  meals  served  on 
board  were  charged  extra.  The  first-class  passengers  sit  in 
great  easy  cane  chairs,  upon  a little  upper  deck,  level  with 
the  tops  of  the  paddle-boxes.  The  Demerara  flows  nearly 
due  north  and  south,  and  is  probably  in  the  neighborhood  of 
two  hundred  miles  in  length,  though  its  upper  course  has 


A BRITISH  COL  OUT. 


381 


not  been  explored  by  foreigners,  and  is  therefore  known 
only  to  the  Indians.  They  report  that  it  is  much  broken  by 
cataracts.  For  forty  miles  the  river  is  of  a dirty  yellow, 
caused  by  the  clayey  soil  through  which  it  flows ; but  above 
this  it  changes  to  a chocolate,  and  afterward  to  a brownish 
black,  like  the  Rio  Regro  of  Brazil,  and  doubtless  for  a simi- 
lar reason,  containing  the  lees  of  a vast  quantity  of  decaying 
vegetation.  At  the  mouth  of  the  river  are  found  sharks,  and 
higher  up  alligators  and  several  varieties  of  fish,  some  of 
them  of  a large  size,  upon  which  the  Indians  live,  but  which 
are  not  very  pleasing  to  foreign  palates.  The  Demerara  has 
few  tributaries,  and  these  are  mostly  insignificant  creeks.  It 
contains  numerous  islands  most  of  which  are  small.  "Upon 
one  of  these,  some  twenty  miles  from  Georgetown,  the  Dutch 
held  their  seat  of  government  prior  to  its  removal  to  the 
present  position.  The  river  has  a very  winding  course 
throughout  its  length,  and  its  banks  are  very  thinly  peopled. 
For  the  first  thirty  miles  the  banks  are  exceedingly  low,  and 
the  country  is  astonishingly  level,  and  studded  with  rich 
sugar  estates,  together  with  factories  and  dwellings.  Rext 
we  pass  the  first  high  land,  consisting  of  hills  of  the  finest, 
whitest  sand,  about  one  hundred  feet  in  height.  From  this 
point  the  banks  are  covered  with  forest,  thickly  edged  with 
large  reeds.  The  forest  is,  of  course,  remarkably  beautiful, 
and  especially  noteworthy  are  the  enormous  buttressed  silk- 
cotton  trees,  the  sturdy  cabbage-palms,  the  feathery  cocoa- 
nuts,  great  downy  clumps  of  bamboos,  delicately  graceful 
assai-palms,  dainty  ferns,  and  others  whose  native  names 
would  convey  little  idea  to  the  reader.  There  are  only  two 
or  three  regular  stations  at  which  the  steamer  calls,  but  she 
is  obliged  to  stop  for  every  boat  which  may  put  out  from 
shore,  and  hail  her,  whether  that  boat  be  a little  pirogue, 
sharp  at  each  end  as  a pin,  and  carrying  a single  passenger, 
or  even  a single  letter,  or  a great  scow  full  of  passengers,  bag- 
gage, and  freight.  On  our  upward  trip  we  stopped  not  fewer 
than  thirty-three  times,  and  thus  lost  more  than  two  hours. 
A large  amount  of  creole  and  mulatto  travel  variegates  the 


382  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


river.  The  pure  negroes  and  creole  negroes  live  in  a state  of 
primitive  simplicity.  Those  who  are  assembled  in  the  little 
villages  earn  a livelihood  by  cutting  wood,  preparing  char- 
coal, and  growing  produce  for  the  market  at  Georgetown. 
We  passed  many  of  their  little  boats,  propelled  sometimes  by 
two  or  four  men,  with  long  sweeps,  and  sometimes  by  tiny 
and  grotesque  sails  made  of  old  brown  tarpaulin.  The  more 
ignorant  and  lazy  of  these  creoles,  however,  employ  them- 
selves in  stealing  from  the  others,  so  that  here  I had  an  ex- 
planation of  the  frequently  seen  and  remarkably  civilized 
notices  that  “ all  trespassers  will  be  prosecuted  to  the  full  ex- 
tent of  the  law.55  A few  miles  from  our  terminus  is  a large 
settlement  of  the  Macusi  aboriginal  Indians.  These  are 
peaceful,  kindly  savages,  going  almost  naked,  and  living  in 
little  grass  huts.  A peculiar  fashion  of  theirs  is  tightly  to 
bandage  their  legs,  just  below  the  knee  and  around  the  ankle, 
so  as  to  produce  an  abnormally  large  calf.  They  begin  this 
practice  when  very  young,  as  the  Chinese  do  with  their  feet, 
and  the  Flathead  Indians  with  their  heads,  and  the  result 
is  as  disproportional  and  inartistic  as  the  waists  of  female 
Caucasians.  At  Akyma,  the  terminus  of  the  voyage,  the 
steamer  was  secured  to  a buoy  in  the  middle  of  the  river, 
which  had  here  narrowed  to  less  than  three  hundred  feet. 
Akyma  is  neither  a town  nor  a village,  but  simply  a few 
scattered  huts.  Owing  to  a strong  head-tide  and  our  very 
numerous  stops,  we  were  eleven  hours  in  making  our  upward 
journey.  I slept  on  a settee  in  the  cabin,  and  left  at  seven 
the  following  morning,  on  the  return  voyage  to  Georgetown, 
which,  as  we  made  fewer  stops,  we  were  able  to  reach  at  four 
in  the  afternoon. 

A great  development  in  gold  mining  is  taking  place  in 
British  Guiana.  No  quartz  ledges  exist ; the  gold  is  found 
in  rivers  and  creeks  by  washing.  Three  thousand  people, 
mostly  colored  and  inexperienced,  are  prospecting  in  the  in- 
terior. In  1885  sixteen  thousand  dollars  in  gold  was  export- 
ed to  England,  and  in  1887  over  two  million  dollars.  The 
industry  promises  to  be  permanent  and  lucrative.  The  busi- 


A BRITISH  COLONY. 


388 


ness  in  native  woods  is  large.  Seventy-eight  specimens  have 
been  sent  to  England.  Their  durability  is  very  great,  and  a 
feature  which  adds  to  their  value  for  furniture  is  their  gen- 
erally bitter  and  disagreeable  taste,  which  acts  as  a protec- 
tion against  insects.  They  are  not  affected  by  dry  rot.  They 
vary  in  color  from  a light  yellow  to  black.  Most  of  them 
are  well  adapted  to  cabinet-making,  taking  a fine  polish. 

I took  passage  for  the  capital  of  Dutch  Guiana,  about  two 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  distant,  in  a trim,  clean  little  steamer 
of  about  eight  hnndred  tons  burden,  belonging  to  the  line 
styled  in  correct  Hollandish  “Koninklijke  West-In dische 
Mail-dienst,”  or,  in  plain  English,  “Royal  Dutch  West-India 
Mail.”  Three  steamers  serve  on  this  route,  a monthly  one, 
from  Amsterdam  to  Paramaribo.  The  outward  voyage 
is  direct  and  without  stop,  but,  arrived  at  Paramaribo,  the 
homeward  route  then  followed  leads  to  Georgetown,  Port- 
of-Spain  (Trinidad),  Curasao,  Porto  Cabello,  La  Guayra, 
Port-of-Spain,  Paramaribo,  Havre,  Amsterdam.  First-class 
circular  tickets  for  the  whole  tour  of  about  two  months,  with 
the  privilege  of  breaking  the  journey  at  any  port  at  which 
the  steamer  calls,  cost  three  hundred  dollars,  this  amount  in- 
cluding board  while  the  steamers  are  in  port,  should  a pas- 
senger wish  to  make  a continuous  excursion.  We  had  a full 
complement  of  passengers — about  twenty  of  the  first  class. 

The  same  sort  of  low  level  coast  prevails  at  Surinam  as 
at  Demerara.  The  channel,  from  the  light-ship  up  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Surinam  River,  is  marked  by  huge  iron  buoys, 
and  the  sea  is  of  a very  thick,  yellow  appearance.  The  river, 
at  its  mouth,  is  perhaps  ten  miles  in  width,  and  forests  line 
both  banks.  We  pass  two  or  three  old  sugar-factories,  and 
two  small  villages,  and  then  see,  directly  before  us,  on  a point 
where  the  Commewine  enters  the  Surinam,  the  fort  of  Hew 
Amsterdam.  This  is  merely  a low  earthwork,  above  which 
appear  rows  of  guns  of  small  caliber.  The  place  looked 
neither  formidable  nor  threatening.  On  the  Commewine, 
which  flows  for  some  distance  to^the  eastward,  are  situated 
the  finest  sugar  estates  in  Dutch  Guiana.  Steamers  run  up 


384  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


this  river  twice  a week,  returning  the  following  days,  just  as 
they  ascend  the  Surinam,  about  a hundred  miles,  once  a week. 
They  run  on  the  Surinam  to  what  are  the  beginnings  of  the 
gold  regions.  At  present  the  gold  is  mostly  found  by  wash- 
ing, though  there  is  also  some  crushing  ; but,  on  account  of  a 
lack  of  capital  to  pay  the  heavy  expense  of  importing  ma- 
chinery into  a section  of  roadless  country  where  the  rivers 
are  generally  raging  torrents,  the  washing  method  prevails. 
As  the  steamer  draws  near  the  city,  you  notice,  first,  the  walls 
of  what  was  once  no  doubt  considered  a very  powerful  fort. 
This  now  contains  the  prison  and  the  barracks  of  some  three 
hundred  Dutch  troops.  The  tower  of  the  Administration 
Building  appears  above  the  trees,  and  beyond  it  are  the  twin 
towers  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  As  you  slowly  move 
on,  you  catch  a glimpse  of  a pretty  park,  an  extensive  mead- 
ow, and  the  tasteful  front  of  the  Government  House.  Then 
about  all  you  see  is  a long  row  of  two  or  three  story  dwell- 
ings, painted  white,  and  with  steep  roofs,  columned  porticoes, 
green  jalousies,  and  many  curious  little  dormer-windows. 
Facing  the  river-front  is  a long  row  of  the  singular  stunted 
and  gnarled  almond-trees.  Paramaribo  is  situated  ten  miles 
from  the  ocean,  where  the  river  is  about  a mile  in  width. 
The  banks  opposite  the  capital  are  uninhabited,  and  the  con- 
trast of  a city  on  one  side  and  a forest  on  the  other  is  very 
striking.  At  the  time  of  my  visit  there  were  only  four  small 
vessels  lying  at  the  wharves,  and  a little  Dutch  gunboat  out 
in  the  stream.  The  river  is  very  deep,  and  our  steamer  drew 
in  directly  to  one  of  the  wharves.  To  look  up  at  the  prim 
white  houses,  all  of  a like  order  of  architecture,  one  would 
imagine  one’s  self  in  Holland  ; but  to  see  naked  mulattoes 
paddling  dug-out  canoes,  transports  you  at  once  back  to  Gui- 
ana and  primitive  man.  Custom-house  officers  boarded  the 
steamer  as  soon  as  it  was  made  fast  to  the  wharf,  and  the  in- 
spection that  followed  was  ridiculously  exact  and  detailed. 
My  baggage  went  in  a donkey-cart,  and  I followed  on  foot 
to  a sort  of  private  boarding-house,  the  nearest  approach  to  a 
hotel  which  Paramaribo  at  that  time  contained. 


CHAPTEE  XLIII. 


PARAMARIBO  AND  CAYENNE. 

The  city  extends  along  the  river  for  about  two  miles, 
with  an  average  width  of  half  a mile.  It  contains  a large 
number  of  canals,  as  do  all  Dutch  towns  at  home  and  Dutch 
colonies  abroad.  All  the  canals  run  toward  the  river,  and 
serve  the  excellent  purpose  of  drainage.  Other  noticeable 
features  of  Paramaribo  are  absence  of  trees  and  sidewalks  in 
the  streets,  and  the  number  and  variety  of  the  churches  and 
burying-grounds.  Of  the  latter,  and  all  within  the  city 
limits,  two  are  J ewish,  two  Eoman  Catholic,  two  Eeformed 
Dutch,  two  Moravian,  one  military,  and  one  is  for  poor 
people.  The  Jews — both  German  and  Portuguese — are  a 
large  and  powerful  political  party  in  Dutch  Guiana.  The 
city  is  lighted  by  paraffine-lamps.  The  streets  are  covered 
with  the  whitish  sand  and  broken  shells  of  the  plain  on 
which  the  city  is  built,  and  the  glare  proves  very  trying  to 
the  eyes.  No  tramways  vein  the  city,  though  a few  hackney- 
coaches  are  visible.  The  houses,  were  it  not  for  the  peculiar 
custom  of  placing  their  gable-ends,  in  so  many  instances, 
toward  the  streets,  might  almost  pass  for  those  of  a New 
England  town.  They  have  sharply  pitched  roofs,  generally 
covered  with  slate,  and  are  usually  surmounted  with  an  attic- 
like half-story,  with  small  or  large  dormer-windows.  The 
great  green  doors — provided  with  enormous  brass  knockers, 
as  in  Holland — have  roofed  vestibules,  which  are  a grateful 
refuge  in  hot  evenings,  for  Paramaribo  is  an  exceedingly  hot 
place,  with  little  breeze  and  many  mosquitoes.  The  city  is 
well  policed,  and  has  several  steam  fire-engines,  wffiich,  in 
25 


386  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


case  of  fire,  draw  water  from  one  of  the  numerous  canals. 
The  streets,  early  in  the  morning,  are  always  interesting,  be- 
cause of  the  great  crowds  of  natives  going  to  or  returning 
from  market.  The  creole  men  dress  in  complete  suits  of 
white,  as  in  China,  but  the  women  are  always  gayly  dressed, 
and  therefore  attract  special  attention.  They  wear  huge  stiff- 
skirted  gowns,  and  sacks  low  at  the  neck  and  cut  very  loose 
at  the  lower  edge,  with  brilliant  handkerchiefs  so  tied  about 
the  head  as  to  lie  broadly  on  top  and  allow  of  protrusive  ends 
behind.  The  skirts  are  made  very  stiff  with  starch.  Some- 
times the  entire  suit,  including  head-gear,  will  be  of  the  same 
pattern,  more  often  each  piece  will  be  different.;  but  you  al- 
ways notice  the  happy  combination  of  colors,  in  which  par- 
ticular these  people  display  very  good  taste.  A peculiar  and 
very  unseemly  fashion,  however,  is  that  of  pulling  a part  of 
the  dress  up  at  the  waist,  and  confining  it  there  by  a hand- 
kerchief, the  upper  portion  being  also  sometimes  improvised 
as  a huge  pocket.  This  naturally  makes  an  ugly  bulge,  and 
throws  the  figure  out  of  proportion.  It  spoils  an  otherwise 
piquant  and  picturesque  costume.  These  loose  jackets, 
stretched  out  behind,  and  great  “ beer-barrel  ” dresses,  almost 
touching  the  ground,  give  the  figures  a curiously  dumpy  ap- 
pearance, like  those  of  Hindoo  and  Egyptian  women.  Some- 
times shoes  are  worn,  but  more  often  they  go  barefooted. 
Their  carriage,  however,  is  easy  and  graceful,  and,  as  they 
sail  past  in  jaunty  fashion,  you  perceive  the  younger  ones  are 
also  very  pretty,  having  scarcely  any  of  the  negro  or  Indian 
element  about  their  features,  save  a trace  of  the  color.  You 
see  these  women,  as  those  of  Brazil,  walking  gracef  ully  along, 
and  nearly  always  bearing  something,  without  any  effort  or 
attention,  upon  their  heads — now  a newspaper  or  an  umbrel- 
la, again  a great  tray  of  dishes  or  a three- gallon  jar  of  water. 
In  color  they  are  a light  chocolate,  with  smooth,  fine-grained 
skins.  Their  features  are  generally  regular,  and  their  hair, 
eyes,  and  teeth  are  all  that  the  most  finical  could  desire. 
This  much  for  the  middle- class  women.  Those  of  the  upper 
classes  are  frequently  educated  in  Europe,  and  are  as  intelli- 


A Paramaribo  Creole. 


PARAMARIBO  AND  CAYENNE. 


387 


gent  as  they  are  pretty  and  vivacious.  I attended  a ball  at 
Government  House,  where  I found  these  ladies  quite  equal 
to  their  northern  sisters  in  grace,  in  manner,  in  accomplish- 
ments, and  in  dress.  The  heat  is  so  intense  in  Paramaribo 
that  gentlemen,  when  attending  to  business,  generally  dress 
in  white  duck ; but  at  home  they  are  apt  to  pass  most  of  the 
day  simply  in  pyjamas,  even  coming  to  table  and  receiving 
visitors  in  such  scant  garb.  The  late  nights  and  early  morn- 
ings are,  however,  apt  to  be  cool,  and,  were  it  not  for  this,  a 
European  or  American  could  hardly  keep  his  health  there. 
The  ice  that  is  used  is  brought  from  the  United  States,  and 
is  sold  at  two  cents  per  pound.  It  is,  of  course,  a highly 
valued  luxury. 

In  the  eastern  part  of  the  city,  on  the  side  next  the  river, 
just  beyond  the  little  fort,  is  a large  level  meadow  fringed 
with  cocoa-palms,  with  a pretty  little  private  park  on  its  east- 
ern border.  On  the  northern  is  the  handsome  Government 
House,  and  on  the  west  are  the  Stadt-House,  the  Court-House, 
and  the  office  of  the  Government  Secretary,  all  of  quaint  old 
Dutch  architecture.  In  the  center  of  this  meadow  a military 
band  performs  on  certain  afternoons  of  the  week.  Govern- 
ment House  is  of  wood,  two  stories  in  height,  with  graceful 
columns  and  arches,  and  the  Netherlands  coat-of-arms,  carved 
in  wood  and  highly  colored,  glaring  from  the  topmost  pedi- 
ment. A broad  road  goes  past,  lined  with  fine  old  tamarind- 
trees,  whereof  the  gnarled  roots,  half  above  ground,  project 
twenty  feet  from  their  trunks,  and  twist  like  huge  serpents. 
Behind  the  Government  House  is  a large  and  beautiful  gar- 
den, to  which  the  public  are  freely  admitted.  The  Governor 
is  appointed  by  the  Crown  of  Holland,  and  serves  six  years. 
He  is  associated  in  his  duties  with  a Colonial  Council.  The 
population  of  Paramaribo  is  put  down  at  twenty-five  thou- 
sand, and  of  the  whole  colony  at  seventy  thousand.  The  pri- 
vate park  to  which  I have  above  referred  contains  some  very 
interesting  palms,  one  of  the  most  striking  and  beautiful  spe- 
cies being  called  the  moriche  palm.  This  park  is  much  re- 
sorted to  by  the  people  for  its  beer-garden  and  restaurant,  its 


388  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


open-air  ball-room,  bowling-alley,  and  shooting-gallery.  Balls 
are  occasionally  given  on  Sunday  evenings,  to  which  a mem- 
bership ticket  or  the  introduction  of  a member  admits  you. 
Dance- music  is  furnished  by  the  military  band,  and  evening 
dress  is  not  required.  Full  dress  is,  however,  always  obliga- 
tory at  balls  given  at  Government  House.  Other  recreation 
is  afforded  by  two  small  circulating  libraries.  Three  news- 
papers—one  tri-weekly  and  two  bi-weekly — are  published  in 
Paramaribo.  The  solitary  club  contains  reading,  billiard,  and 
smoking  rooms ; and  at  the  small  theatre  amateur  perform- 
ances are  occasionally  given  during  the  cooler  part  of  the 
year.  At  infrequent  intervals  a strolling  company  of  profes- 
sionals amuses  the  easy-going  citizens. 

I took  the  French  mail-steamer — which  comes  once  a 
month  from  Fort  de  France,  Martinique,  where  it  connects 
with  a large  steamer  of  the  same  line  from  Saint  Hazaire, 
France — to  Cayenne,  my  next  point  of  call.  She  is  a com- 
fortable vessel,  of  fifteen  hundred  tons  burden,  and  was  quite 
full  of  passengers.  The  following  morning  we  halted  just 
long  enough  to  leave  the  mail  at  the  small  and  rather  bare 
islands  of  Salut,  on  one  of  which  is  a French  penal  settle- 
ment. We  had  the  previous  afternoon  passed  the  mouth  of 
the  Maroni  Fiver,  upon  which  are  several  other  penal  settle- 
ments. All  along  the  French  Guiana  coast,  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Cayenne,  are  clusters  of  small  islands,  most  of  them 
wooded,  and  many  of  them  inhabited.  About  ten  miles  from 
Cayenne  is  a lighthouse  on  a small  rock,  over  nearly  all  of 
which  the  sea  washes.  From  here  the  Guiana  coast  appears, 
for  the  most  part  low  and  covered  with  dense  forest,  though 
there  are  several  pretty  hillocks  and,  east  of  the  city  of  Ca- 
yenne, several  ranges  of  hills,  or  mountains,  as  they  are  styled 
here.  W e steam  slowly  through  a great  swell  of  thick,  mud- 
dy water.  The  houses  of  the  city  of  Cayenne,  owing  to  the 
vegetation,  appear  indistinctly,  with  the  exception  of  the  great 
yellowish-white,  three-story  barracks,  and  the  Roman  Catho- 
lic church.  As  we  approach,  a slight  eminence  appears  at  the 
extreme  western  side,  where  is  an  old  fort,  at  present  dis- 


PARAMARIBO  AMD  CAYENNE. 


389 


mantled  and  used  as  a signal- station.  "We  arrive  in  the  early 
morning,  and  the  island  is  covered  with  mist,  through  which 
the  palms  loom  forth  in  spectral  manner.  To  the  left  of  the 
fort  we  saw  a great  grove  of  lofty  cabbage-palms,  and  be- 
yond, and  in  nearly  the  center  of  the  city,  the  roof  and 
steeple  of  the  largest  church  in  Cayenne.  Two  or  three 
small  rivers,  emptying  into  the  sea  by  the  side  of  the  city, 
form  a broad  estuary,  where  lies  the  shipping.  At  this  point 
we  pass  a low  earthwork,  mounting  a few  guns  ; next,  a short 
distance  beyond,  another  and  similar  one,  a little  higher  up ; 
then  the  great  barracks,  and  now  we  anchor  near  a French 
man-of-war,  three  or  four  merchant-ships,  and  a few  small 
ships  and  lighters. 

I land  on  a long,  narrow,  stone  jetty,  upon  which  are 
congregated  several  hundred  of  the  inhabitants,  some  to  re- 
ceive their  friends,  but  more  loitering  about  from  mere  curi- 
osity ; for  the  arrival  of  the  monthly  French  mail  is  a great 
day  for  the  Cayennese.  Passing  an  open  space,  where  some 
huge  mango-trees  stand,  I walk  along  a very  dusty  road  of 
crushed  bricks,  past  a magasin  general , and  on  to  the  custom- 
house, where  the  examination  is  very  cursory.  I then  pass 
around  the  base  of  the  fort,  leaving  the  Treasury  on  the  left, 
and  the  large  buildings  of  the  direction  du port  upon  the 
right,  and  enter  the  Rue  du  Port,  which  is  one  of  the  princi- 
pal business  streets  of  Cayenne.  I have  only  to  go  a short 
distance,  to  obtain  a room  in  a house  on  one  side  of  this 
street,  while  I arrange  to  take  my  meals  at  a pension  upon 
the  opposite  side.  With  the  exception  of  the  older  part,  in 
the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the  hill  of  the  fortress,  Ca- 
yenne is  laid  out  at  right  angles,  and  mostly  in  oblong  blocks. 
It  lies  upon  a level  plain,  the  greater  part  of  which  is  but 
fifteen  feet  above  the  ocean.  The  houses  are  two  stories  in 
height,  and  with  their  projecting  roofs,  balconies,  and  dormer- 
windows,  make  a very  pretty  sight.  The  dwellings  of  the  best 
class  are  of  stuccoed  brick — colored  pink,  white,  or  yellow. 
Sidewalks  are  few.  The  street-cleaning  brigade  consists  of 
vultures,  which  perform  a like  service  for  so  many  tropical 


390  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


towns.  In  Cayenne  these  uncouth  and  uncanny  black  scav- 
engers congregate  and  rest  in  the  tops  of  a great  palm-grove. 
The  city  is  lighted  by  lamps  of  paraffine-oil.  A few  carriages 
are  to  be  obtained  by  sending  word  far  in  advance  of  the 
time  required.  The  streets  are  full  of  people  all  day,  save 
between  the  hours  of  eleven  and  two,  when  business  is  sus- 
pended, the  shops  are  closed,  and  the  people  devote  them- 
selves to  breakfast  and  the  siesta . The  dress  of  the  creole 
women,  though  not  so  quaint  as  that  of  the  corresponding 
class — the  middle  class — in  Dutch  Guiana,  is  not  inferior  to 
it  in  the  variety  and ‘brilliancy  of  color.  Their  gowns  are 
always  much  too  long  for  them,  and  are  constantly  being 
lifted  in  such  a reckless  manner  as  to  expose  not  only  the 
little  feet  in  high-heeled  French  shoes,  but  also  entrancing 
sections  of  neatly  turned  and  naked  legs.  The  higher  classes, 
however,  appear  in  white  stockings ; the  lower  always  with 
bare  feet.  A large  French  garrison — one  eighth  of  the  entire 
population — is  stationed  at  Cayenne ; and  jaunty  soldiers,  in 
white  trousers,  blue  coats,  yellow  epaulets,  and  white  pith 
hats,  are  always  to  be  seen  about  the  streets.  The  city  stands 
on  an  island,  which  may  be  circumnavigated  by  very  small 
steamers  and  native  boats.  It  is  not  supplied  with  roads, 
and  contains  numerous  small  plantations.  A good  general 
view  may  be  had  from  the  walls  of  the  old  fort.  The  appear- 
ance of  the  hills  to  the  eastward  is  exceedingly  pretty.  From 
here  you  may  also  see  the  lighthouse  on  the  rock,  styled  the 
Enfant  Perdu,  away  to  the  north ; and  the  range  of  the  Kaw 
^ Mountains  to  the  southeast.  Access  to  the  far  interior  is 
quite  difficult.  The  rivers  are  mostly  small  and  broken  by 
rapids  and  cataracts.  Gold  has  been  found  in  hill-ranges 
similar  to  the  other  Guianas,  and,  though  previously  it  has 
only  been  worked  by  washing,  now  companies  are  being 
formed  and  Crushing  machinery  introduced,  so  that  mining 
in  earnest,  regular,  scientific  manner  may  commence.  I saw 
in  Cayenne  some  exceedingly  rich  specimens  of  gold  quartz, 
brought  from  a hundred  miles  or  so  up-country. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  sights  is  the  great  grove  of 


A Cayenne  Creole. 


PARAMARIBO  AMD  CAYENNE. 


391 


palm-trees,  Place  des  Palmistes,  or  “ Cabbage-palm  Square,” 
as  it  is  locally  termed.  I was  never  tired  of  walking  through 
the  giant  aisles,  or  admiring  them  from  a distance,  whence 
they  resemble  half  a dozen  of  the  great  palm  avenues  in  the 
Botanical  Gardens  of  Pio  de  Janeiro  massed  together.  The 
trees  have,  of  course,  been  planted  in  this  order,  most  of 
them  more  than  a century  ago.  When  one  of  them  dies— 
which  is  very  seldom — its  spot  is  at  once  replaced  by  another, 
though  necessarily  a smaller  one.  These  splendid  palms  are 
about  five  hundred  in  number,  with  an  average  height  of 
eighty  feet.  They  are  placed  in  eight  rows,  about  twenty 
feet  apart,  and  perhaps  the  same  distance  from  each  other  in 
the  rows.  They  are  thus  sufficiently  near  to  produce  the 
effect  of  a stately  Titanic  hall,  with  great  gray  pillars,  straight 
as  arrows,  supporting  a roof  of  the  glossiest  of  beautiful  verd- 
ure. At  one  comer  of  this  magnificent  square  stands  that 
great  botanical  curiosity,  a double  palm-tree,  which  the  citi- 
zens appreciate  so  highly  that  they  always  take  a stranger  the 
first  thing  to  see  it.  It  is  still  a young  tree,  though  nearly  as 
tall  as  the  others,  and  is  in  perfect  health.  The  trunk 
branches  about  twenty  feet  from  the  ground,  and  thence  two 
trunks  run  upward  until  they  terminate  in  twro  perfect-shaped 
leafy  crowns.  At  one  corner  of  Cabbage-palm  Square  are 
the  buildings  of  the  “ gendarmerie,”  an  important  and  well- 
disciplined  service  in  Cayenne.  Pear  by  are  the  jail,  a large 
military  hospital,  and  what  is  termed  the  college — a sort  of 
high  school  for  creole  citizens.  Occupying  an  entire  block, 
on  another  side  of  the  same  square,  are  the  “ Intendance”  or 
commissariat,  the  large  artillery  “ Caserne  ” or  barracks,  and 
the  Government  printing-office,  which,  besides  an  official 
newspaper  published  once  a week,  issues  a large  number  of 
valuable  pamphlets  relating  to  the  colony,  including  an  “ An- 
nuaire”  of  some  three  hundred  and  fifty  octavo  pages.  In 
front  of  the  latter  is  the  Place  d’Armes,  a neatly  grassed 
parade-ground,  surrounded  by  rows  of  great  mango-trees. 
Directly  opposite  the  artillery  barracks  are  the  buildings  of 
the  “ Hotel  du  Gouvernement  ” and  the  “ Mairie  ” or  town- 


392  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

"hall.  Government  House  is  a great  square  two-and-a-half- 
story  edifice,  of  no  architectural  merit,  though  of  a character 
well  adapted  to  the  climate.  Set  apart  for  the  Governor’s 
use,  however,  is  a very  pretty  little  chalet , situated  near  the 
coast,  about  six  miles  east  of  the  city.  A semicircular  level 
spot  has  been  dug  from  the  side  of  a bill,  from  which  the 
timber  has  been  cleared  for  a little  distance,  and  upon  this  a 
pretty  brick  house,  of  a single  story,  with  broad  verandas, 
has  been  erected  upon  brick  pillars  eight  or  ten  feet  in 
height.  In  front  of  the  house  are  flower-beds  and  a row  of 
cabbage-palms.  Steps  lead  directly  down  to  the  rocky  beach. 
The  great  muddy  sea  stretches  before  you,  studded  with 
three  or  four  thickly  wooded  islands.  A strong,  cool  trade- 
wind  comes  in  from  the  southeast.  A path  runs  up  the  hill 
to  a point  where  a summer-house  has  been  erected.  A sema- 
phore signals  to  that  at  Cayenne.  The  semaphore  at  the 
latter  place  may  be  distinctly  seen,  between  the  hills  and 
over  the  woods,  away  to  the  west,  though  but  little  else  in 
the  city  appears,  save  the  tops  of  the  lofty  palmistes.  In  re- 
turning from  the  Governor’s  seaside  retreat,  you  may,  if  you 
like,  take  a look  at  one  of  the  many  convict  establishments 
of  the  colony — of  only  the  exterior,  however,  for  it  is  not 
permitted  the  stranger  to  enter.  Here,  upon  the  islands  of 
Salut,  and  in  the  settlement  on  the  banks  of  the  Maroni 
Hiver,  is  said  to  be  a total  of  fifteen  thousand  prisoners. 
These  are  kept  in  confinement.  About  a thousand  additional 
convicts  are  allowed  at  large,  but  are  not  permitted  to  leave 
the  colony. 

The  same  steamer  which  brought  me  to  Cayenne  brought 
also  a general  of  the  Trench  army,  who  had  been  sent  out 
from  France  to  inspect  the  troops  stationed  here.  On  the 
late  afternoon  of  the  day  upon  which  we  arrived  a review 
and  a brief  inspection  were  held.  But  first  came  a levee  at 
the  Government  House,  attended  by  all  the  officers  of  the 
post.  A regiment  of  infantry,  a small  battery  of  artillery,  a 
handful  of  cavalry,  half  a dozen  buglers,  and  a company  of 
gendarmerie,  all  commanded  by  a colonel,  are  located  at  Ca- 


PARAMARIBO  AND  CAYENNE. 


393 


yenne.  No  military  band  makes  music,  which  is  to  be  regret- 
ted, since,  to  say  the  least,  a drum-major  is  a desirable  adjunct 
to  a parade.  The  troops  were  drawn  up  in  line  in  the  street 
which  passes  by  the  great  square  of  cabbage-palms.  Then 
the  newly  arrived  general,  in  full  uniform,  his  breast  a blaze 
of  stars,  crosses,  and  medals,  and  accompanied  by  a brilliant 
staff,  walked  slowly  down  the  ranks  and  returned  at  the  rear. 
The  troops  then  formed  into  company  front,  and  passed  in 
review  before  the  general  and  staff,  who  stood  under  the 
giant  palms.  I am  not,  of  course,  describing  anything  new 
in  the  matter  of  a revie w,  but  1 wish  to  emphasize  the  extraor- 
dinary circumstances  and  associations  of  its  occurrence.  F ancy 
the  pageant ! The  hour  was  near  sunset,  with  its  peculiar 
tropical  glow.  Above  our  heads  was  the  green  sea  of  verd- 
ure. The  red  road,  the  brilliant  and  varied  uniforms  of  the 
troops,  the  great  crowds  of  creoles  and  people  of  every  tint 
from  white  to  black  looking  on,  the  spectacle  of  the  veteran 
general  with  his  staff  of  young  officers,  the  stirring  march- 
music  of  the  buglers,  the  clatter  of  the  artillery,  the  rush  of 
the  cavalry,  and  all  about,  seen  through  the  columns  of  the 
great  natural  temple,  the  pink,  yellow,  and  white  walls,  and 
the  quaint  balconies,  windows,  and  roofs  of  the  city — such  a 
scene  was  certainly  a remarkable  combination  of  the  works 
of  man  and  of  nature. 

From  Cayenne,  once  more  turning  my  head  to  the  north, 
I went  in  the  French  mail-steamer  to  Port-of-Spain,  Trinidad, 
thence  to  take  a steamboat  running  up  the  Orinoco  Eiver. 
We  stopped  at  Paramaribo  for  seven  hours  and  at  George- 
town for  ten  hours,  and  then  headed  toward  the  northwest. 
In  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day  we  were  crossing  the  great 
delta  of  the  Orinoco,  the  water  having  changed  from  a light 
green  almost  to  a black,  and  in  the  evening  the  large  British 
Island  of  Trinidad  was  sighted.  Shortly  after  we  entered 
the  Gulf  of  Paria — a circular  body  of  water  between  Trini- 
dad and  the  mainland  of  Venezuela — by  the  comparatively 
narrow  channel  on  the  south  called  the  Serpent’s  Mouth ; 
that  on  the  north  is  styled  the  Dragon’s  Mouth.  The  Isl- 


394:  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


and  of  Trinidad  runs  to  three  quite  sharp  points,  the  two 
western  ones  being  actually  peninsulas.  In  the  bight  of  the 
southwestern  point  is  the  town  of  San  Fernando,  and  in  a 
similar  bight  of  the.  northwestern  point  is  the  capital  of  the 
island,  Port-of-Spain.  Before  reaching  San  Fernando,  we 
pass  Point  La  Brea,  near  ’ which  is  a submarine  spring  of 
petroleum,  and  about  a mile  from  which,  on  the  island,  is 
the  famous  Pitch  Lake.  Between  this  and  the  hills  of  the 
interior  liquid  asphaltum  is  found,  and  at  two  other  spots 
near  the  coast  the  map  has  marked  upon  it  the  presence  of 
both  asphaltum  and  asphaltic  oil.  Then,  again,  about  ten 
miles  east  of  San  Fernando,  in  the  interior,  these  names  ap- 
pear once  more,  together  with  springs  of  petroleum  ; while 
directly  south  of  them,  and  near  the  southern  coast,  I read 
the  words  “ asphaltic  cones.”  I do  not  find  the  presence  of 
asphaltum  indicated  anywhere  else  upon  the  island,  but  no- 
tice some  thermal  springs  a short  distance  north  of  San  Fer- 
nando. 

We  anchored  about  a mile  from  Port-of-Spain.  The  isl- 
and stretched  away,  quite  smooth  and  level,  to  the  eastward. 
To  the  north,  back  of  the  city,  were  ranges  of  low  hills, 
cleared  in  parts  below,  but  tree-covered  above.  A large  field 
to  the  westward  was  planted  with  sugar-cane.  Still  farther 
was  a group  of  islands,  separating  the  Gulf  of  Paria  from  the 
Caribbean  Sea.  Again,  still  farther  to  the  west,  wras  the 
northeastern  extremity  of  the  Spanish  Main,  the  mountains 
of  Venezuela  rising  grandly  from  the  sea-coast.  We  had 
passed  a German  man-of-war,  and  had  anchored  amid  a 
dozen  ships  and  two  or  three  steamers.  The  city  lies  upon  a 
gently  inclined  plain,  but  little  above  the  surface  of  the  gulf, 
at  its  edge,  and,  being  filled  with  trees,  does  not  appear  to 
much  advantage  from  the  steamer’s  deck.  Landing,  and 
having  no  trouble  or  delay  in  the  custom-house,  I enter  a 
large  open  space  called  the  South  Quay.  Here  is  the  rail- 
way-station, whence  daily  trains  are  run  to  San  Fernando, 
thirty  miles  distant.  I pass  great  oblong  blocks  of  ware- 
houses, and  enter  a large  square,  or  boulevard  more  properly, 


PARAMARIBO  AMD  CAYENNE. 


395 


full  of  splendid  old  trees,  and  with  a fountain  at  one  end 
and  a handsome  Catholic  church  at  the  other.  The  street 
on  the  north  side  contains  the  shipping-offices,  and  many  of 
the  largest  wholesale  and  retail  stores.  On  the  south  side 
the  names  of  hotels  and  clubs  indicate  the  presence  of  many 
Venezuelans,  and  an  extensive  business  with  their  country. 
The  sidewalks  of  this  boulevard  extend  in  the  form  of  arcades 
under  the  lower  stories  of  the  houses.  I next  pass  the  Treas- 
ury building,  and  soon  find,  opposite  the  post-office,  a new 
and  very  good  hotel. 


CHAPTER  XLIY. 


TRINIDAD  AND  UP  THE  ORINOCO. 

Port-of-Spain  reminded  me  in  many  particulars  of  George- 
town, Demerara — naturally,  too,  since  both  are  cities  of  Brit- 
ish colonies.  It  is  laid  out  at  right  angles,  in  large  oblong 
blocks.  The  streets  are  macadamized,  and  have  gutters  of 
cut  stone,  in  which,  in  most  of  the  streets  extending  north 
and  south,  is  running  water.  There  are  always  sidewalks, 
sometimes  paved,  sometimes  “ metaled,”  sometimes  covered 
wTith  asphalt  blocks.  The  houses  are  built  of  brick,  wood,  or 
iron,  and  roofed  with  slate,  iron,  tiles,  or  shingles.  They  range 
from  one  to  three  stories  in  height.  In  the  older  parts  of 
the  city  you  see  few  trees,  but  in  the  northern  parts,  where 
the  residences  of  the  better  class  are  situated,  the  profusion 
of  vegetation  and  flowers  is  very  remarkable.  Port-of-Spain 
is  well  provided  with  hospitals  and  asylums  of  all  kinds. 
These  are  constructed  strictly  for  their  purposes,  rather  than 
for  any  particular  architectural  effect,  and  the  same  might  be 
said  of  all  the  public  buildings,  most  of  which  are  built  solid- 
ly of  stone  or  brick.  In  the  southern  center  of  the  city  is  a 
large  square — full  of  fine  trees,  and  containing  a neat  bronze 
fountain — upon  the  western  side  of  which  are  several  of  the 
more  important  public  buildings,  such  as  the  Government 
House,  Court-House,  Town  Hall,  police  barracks,  and  new 
public  offices.  Two  lines  of  tram-cars  run,  and  a good  idea 
of  the  city  may  be  obtained  by  riding  to  the  terminus  of  one 
of  these  lines,  and  then  walking  a few  blocks  and  taking  the 
other  line  back.  You  would  thus  see,  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  city,  what  is  termed  the  Savanna,  or  Queen’s  Park,  a 


A Big  Tree  in  a Public  Square , Port-of- Spain. 


TRINIDAD  AND  UP  THE  ORINOCO . 


397 


great  open  field  of  smooth  grass  which  extends  quite  away  to 
the  base  of  the  hills.  It  contains  many  large  and  splendid 
old  trees,  and  around  its  edges  a race-course  and  grand  stand. 
Herds  of  feeding  cattle  give  a pleasing  aspect  to  the  Savan- 
na. Beyond  it  are  a very  fine  botanical  garden,  and  the 
Governor’s  palace.  The  botanical  garden  is  especially  inter- 
esting and  worthy  of  a visit  from  the  stranger.  Besides 
many  specimens  of  the  enormous  trees  peculiar  to  the  island 
— or,  more  exactly,  to  the  tropics  hereabout — are  splendid 
flowers,  shrubs,  aquatic  plants,  also  fountains  and  neatly  kept 
paths.  On  the  way  back  to  the  hotel  you  will  notice  the 
plain  brick  building  of  Queen’s  College,  standing  in  a large 
inclosure.  This  is  intended  for  boys  under  the  age  of  twen- 
ty-one. The  curriculum  comprises  the  English,  French,  and 
Spanish  languages,  classics,  mathematics,  and  chemistry.  It 
is  distinctly  stated  that  no  religious  instruction  is  given  in 
the  college.  The  charge  for  tuition  is  only  forty-five  dollars 
per  annum.  There  is  a public  library  of  about  twelve  thousand 
volumes,  and  connected  with  it  a reading-room  containing  a 
good  selection  of  English  periodicals  and  newspapers.  Sev- 
eral tri-weeklies  appear,  but  no  daily  newspapers  as  at  George- 
town. Iron  pillar  post-office  boxes  abound  in  the  streets,  and 
are  emptied  thrice  daily. 

I,  of  course,  visited  that  natural  phenomenon,  the  famous 
Pitch  Lake  of  La  Brea,  about  forty  miles  south  from  Port-of- 
Spain.  A commodious  passenger-steamer  runs  there  two  or 
three  times  per  week.  Such  of  the  island  as  may  be  seen  on 
the  first  part  of  the  journey  is  low  and  swampy,  then  succeeds 
higher  ground,  covered  with  large  sugar-cane  plantations, 
with  hills  and  woods  in  the  distant  background.  Our  first 
stop  is  at  San  Fernando,  the  second  towm  of  the  island,  and 
very  curiously  situated  at  the  base  and  upon  the  flanks  of  a 
solitary  hill  rising  up  from  the  shore.  So  little  available 
space  does  there  seem  to  be,  that  great  slices  have  been  cut 
from  the  hill  in  order  to  find  standing-room  for  the  houses. 
Hear  the  landing  are  the  railway-station  and  several  large 
warehouses,  but  little  of  the  town  is  seen  from  here,  owing1 

J y <D 


398  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


to  the  dense  vegetation.  We  go  on  for  an  hour  more,  and 
then  drop  anchor  ofi:  the  point  of  La  Brea,  where  most  of  the 
remaining  passengers  go  ashore  in  small  boats,  which  put  out 
to  the  steamer.  The  latter  goes  on  to  a village  called  Cedros, 
two  hours  more,  and  then  returns  to  La  Brea,  on  her  journey 
back  to  Port-of-Spain,  so  that  we  curiosity-seekers  have  four 
or  five  hours  in  which  to  visit  and  inspect  the  Pitch  Lake. 
The  country  hereabout  is  covered  with  forest,  wild  sugar- 
cane, and  scrub.  Upon  the  point  of  La  Brea  are  a small  vil- 
lage and  several  “ boiling-down  ” factories.  All  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  village  are  employed  in  cutting  and  bringing  the 
asphalt  from  the  lake,  or  in  melting  it  and  packing  it  in  bar- 
rels to  transport  to  New  York  and  Paris,  and,  in  fact,  all  over 
the  world. 

We  land  upon  a beach  covered  with  asphalt,  looking  like 
some  great,  smooth,  dark  rock.  The  shore  all  along  is  piled 
with  great  heaps  of  asphalt  blocks.  A strong  but  not  un- 
pleasant smell  of  pitch  is  in  the  air.  The  huts  and  shops  are 
very  miserable  looking.  They  stand  raised  upon  posts  of 
brick  or  stone,  to  insure  better  sanitary  results.  A road, 
twenty-five  feet  in  width,  with  gutters  at  each  side,  and  the 
whole  made  of  bitumen  blocks,  which  have,  in  process  of 
time,  become  one  solid,  smooth  mass,  runs  up  to  the  lake, 
about  one  mile  distant.  The  small,  two-wheeled  mule-carts, 
which  are  employed  to  bring  the  asphalt  down,  are  also  utilized 
to  carry  people  up.  Sometimes  there  is  an  extra  animal — 
probably  a horse — attached,  tandem  fashion,  which,  with  the 
visitors  sitting  in  the  carts  on  ordinary  chairs,  makes  a curious 
picture.  Guides  are  taken  to  indicate  points  of  special  inter- 
est, and  explain  matters  generally.  The  road  makes  a gradual 
though  continued  rise  to  the  lake,  which  does  not  lie  in  a 
great  depression,  but  near  the  top  of  the  ridge,  with  two 
sides  sloping  away,  and  two  a little  higher  than  the  lake. 
The  Pitch  Lake  is  a great  bottomless  bed  of  asphaltum,  half 
a mile  in  diameter,  hard  and  cold  on  its  borders,  but  soft  and 
hot  toward  the  middle.  Its  shores  are  fringed  with  palms, 
scrub,  and  small  trees,  and  its  surface  is  studded  with  several 


TRINIDAD  AND  UP  THE  ORINOCO. 


399 


wooded  islands.  At  first  it  looks  like  any  woodland  lake, 
and  not  immediately  do  yon  realize  that  it  is  pitch  and  not 
water.  But  the  illusion  is  soon  dispelled  by  the  color  and 
consistency  of  the  fluid.  You  see  before  you  great  masses  of 
rather  smooth  asphalt,  which  are  everywhere  separated  by 
streams  of  water,  some  a foot  wide,  some  a hundred  feet. 
In  the  larger  water-courses  are  small  fish,  which  must  be  very 
warm-blooded  creatures,  and  do  not  object  to  a little  sulphur 
and  bitumen.  In  examining  these  water-basins,  some  of  them 
a few  inches  in  depth,  and  others  many  feet,  I saw  that  they 
were  fissures  produced  by  the  pitch  oozing  from  different 
points,  and  therefore  failing  to  make  a compact  mass.  The 
asphalt  is  black  and  brown,  hard  and  brittle,  and  full  of  longi- 
tudinal air-holes.  You  may,  however,  walk  about  the  sur- 
face, for  it  is  nearly  everywhere  strong  enough  to  bear  your 
weight.  The  asphalt  is  cut  out  with  pick-axes  in  square 
blocks,  and  may  be  kneaded  into  balls  like  putty.  It  con- 
tains, at  first,  a strong  smell,  as  of  coal-gas,  but  neither  soils 
the  hands,  nor,  strange  to  relate,  leaves  any  odor.  The  ap- 
pearance of  the  bitumen  everywhere  reminded  me  of  lava- 
flows  such  as  I have  seen  on  Mount  Etna,  Sicily,  and  Kilau- 
ea,  Hawaiian  Islands.  A hole  dug  by  the  men  one  day  is 
pretty  apt  to  be  filled  up  from  below  and  the  sides,  by  the 
following  day.  In  about  the  center  of  the  lake  the  asphalt 
may  be  seen  boiling  and  mixed  with  steam  and  sulphur, 
which  gives  the  water  very  pretty  colors.  Little  pitch  vol- 
canoes thrust  themselves  up  about  two  feet  high,  in  whose 
centers,  about  six  inches  or  so  in  diameter,  the  pitch  is  in  a fluid 
state,  sometimes  welling  up,  sometimes  overflowing.  The 
surface  in  the  neighborhood  is  like  treacle,  and  is  too  soft  to 
be  walked  upon.  Slight  explosions  of  gas  are  continually 
taking  place,  accompanied  by  noxious  vapors  rising  from  the 
seething  mass.  The  Pitch  Lake  belongs  to  the  Government, 
and  is  leased  to  various  companies.  At  the  time  of  my  visit 
two  ships  were  loading  the  asphalt  in  the  roadstead  of  La 
Brea.  I reached  Port-of- Spain  in  the  evening,  having  made 
the  round  trip  in  about  twelve  hours. 


400  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


Twice  a month  a line  of  steamers  under  the  Venezuelan 
flag,  though  owned  and  managed  by  Americans,  runs  a ves- 
sel between  Port-of- Spain  and  Bolivar,  a town  three  hun- 
dred and  sixty  miles  up  the  Orinoco  River.  These  boats 
are  of  a similar  model  to  those  in  use  upon  the  Hudson  River 
and  Long  Island  Sound.  They  have  two  decks,  paddle- 
wheels,  draw  but  eight  feet  of  water,  and  range  from  three 
to  six  hundred  tons  burden.  Then  there  are  other  steamers, 
plying  on  the  upper  Orinoco,  which  have  stern- wheels,  like  our 
Mississippi  River  boats.  Though  outwardly  my  steamer  was 
like  those  of  North  America,  inside  the  arrangement  was 
very  different.  The  saloons  were  exceedingly  bare,  being 
furnished  only  with  plain  deal  tables  and  benches,  and  with 
painted  canvas  instead  of  carpets  upon  the  deck.  The  state- 
rooms had  the  advantage  of  two  doors,  an  outer  and  an  inner 
one,  and  a very  large  window,  thus  giving  free  access  to  the 
air.  Forward,  on  the  main-deck,  were  second-class  passen- 
gers, and  aft,  cattle  and  merchandise.  The  second-class 
passengers  sleep  in  hammocks,  as  indeed  do  many  of  those  of 
the  first  class.  The  meals  are  varied  and  plentiful  in  char- 
acter. The  captain  and  chief  engineer  were  Americans. 
The  steamer  and  machinery  were  built  at  Wilmington,  Del. 
This  company,  called  the  “ Orinoco  Steamship  Line,”  receives 
no  subsidy,  and  is  virtually  a monopoly.  The  passenger- 
fares  and  tariff  for  freight  are  exceedingly  high.  Thus,  the 
voyage  from  Port-of-Spain  to  Bolivar,  a distance  requiring  but 
thirty-six  hours  to  cover,  costs,  for  a first-class  ticket,  twenty 
dollars  in  gold.  There  is  a line  of  steamers  which  sends  one 
about  every  six  weeks  direct  from  New  York  to  Bolivar. 
From  Bolivar  you  may  go  in  the  rainy  season,  or  during 
nearly  half  the  year,  up  the  Orinoco  and  Apure  to  Nutrias,  a 
total  distance  of  about  a thousand  miles  from  the  mouth  of 
the  great  river.  The  Orinoco  is  itself  put  down  in  the  gazet- 
teers as  twelve  hundred  miles  in  length. 

On  leaving  Port-of-Spain  we  headed  at  once  toward  the 
southwest  and  the  Serpent’s  Mouth,  out  of  which  we  safely 
passed  and  entered  that  branch,  or  rather  that  one  of  the 


TRINIDAD  AND  UP  THE  ORINOCO. 


401 


many  great  months  of  the  Orinoco,  styled  the  Macareo  River, 
which  was  at  first  about  half  a mile  in  width,  its  shores 
densely  covered  with  aquatic  plants  and  forests.  Running 
nearly  parallel  to  this  river,  is  another  called  the  Cascuina. 
Both  are  navigable  for  steamers  drawing  less  than  ten  feet ; 
those  requiring  deeper  water  than  this  must  use  the  southern 
and  main  branch  of  the  Orinoco.  This  one  is  naturally 
always  preferred  by  ships.  The  water  of  the  river  is  a thick 
yellow,  and  the  current  is  as  swift  as  four  or  five  miles  an 
hour.  As  we  went  on  all  day,  the  Macareo  narrowed  to 
about  one  hundred  feet,  but  was  very  deep.  The  banks 
appeared  quite  uninhabited,  until  we  reached  the  Orinoco 
proper.  First  we  passed  two  very  small  Indian  villages. 
The  houses  consisted  merely  of  grass  roofs  and  wooden  pil- 
lars, being  quite  open  on  all  sides,  and  disclosing  numbers  of 
hammocks  each  containing  a nearly  nude  Indian.  Rear  by 
were  fields  of  mandioc  and  bananas.  On  the  beach  small 
pirogues  were  drawn  up.  At  one  place  some  of  the  boys 
paddled  out  to  us,  and  in  wanton  sport  threw  on  board  many 
sticks  of  sugar-cane.  These  Indians  had  stout,  strong  bodies, 
and  broad  and  good-natured  physiognomies,  with  their  hair 
“ banged  ” across  the  forehead  and  left  long  at  the  sides. 

In  its  vast  size,  and  large  and  numerous  islands,  the  Ori- 
noco is  not  unlike  the  Amazon,  but  the  banks  differ  from  the 
Amazon’s  chiefly  in  their  greater  profusion  of  lianas,  the  for- 
ests being  not  only  decked  but  half  covered  with  them. 
After  the  Indian  villages,  we  passed,  upon  the  Macareo,  long 
lines  of  widely  separated  mud  huts,  belonging  to  negroes  and 
low-class  creoles.  All  these  people  wore  clothes,  had  a vari- 
ety of  cooking-utensils,  and  better  dwellings  than  the  pure 
Indians.  Rear  where  the  Macareo  enters  the  main  branch 
of  the  Orinoco  is  a small  town  called  Barrancas — simply  two 
short  streets  of  dilapidated  mud  huts.  We  stopped  only  ten 
minutes  to  send  our  boat  ashore  with  the  mail,  and  to  bring 
on  board  two  or  three  passengers.  Some  very  large  islands 
invite  the  view  hereabout,  and  the  distant  ranges  of  the  Ima- 
taca  Mountains,  ridge  behind  ridge,  look  blue  and  pictur- 
26 


402  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


esque.  The  current  of  the  Orinoco  does  not  carry  down  the 
great  number  of  grassy  islands  and  tree-trunks  that  one  sees 
always  on  the  Amazon.  We  stopped  again,  at  night,  at  a 
town  called  Las  Tablas,  situated  near  the  Caroni  River  up 
which,  or  rather  in  whose  neighborhood,  some  hundred  odd 
miles  south  of  the  Orinoco,  are  the  rich  quartz-gold-bearing 
reefs  of  Venezuela.  The  gold  from  this  regiou  is  shipped 
from  Las  Tablas,  and  gives  the  little  town,  which  is  stretched 
along  the  river-banks,  an  importance  that  it  certainly  would 
not  otherwise  possess.  The  name  of  the  mine  is  El  Callao ; 
the  ore  has  averaged  about  eighteen  dollars  per  ton,  and  the 
total  amount  of  gold  remitted  in  a year  has  been  sixty  thou- 
sand ounces,  valued  at  about  one  million  dollars.  The  upper 
levels  are,  however,  becoming  exhausted,  and  hereafter  deeper 
mining  will  he  undertaken.  We  remained  at  Las  Tablas, 
but  a short  quarter  of  an  hour,  and  pushed  on  for  Bolivar. 
A fine  spectacle  at  night  were  the  many  great  prairie  fires, 
the  whole  sky  being  aglow  with  them.  A certain  fire  wrould 
suddenly  appear,  tearing  along  at  a terrific  rate,  with  a blind- 
ing glare  and  long  trail  of  smoke  recalling  a night  express- 
train  a thousand  times  magnified.  The  Venezuelans  are 
accustomed  to  bum  their  savannas  once  a year.  We  had 
already  left  the  regions  of  the  pristine  wilderness,  and  were 
now  among  the  great  savannas,  or  natural  meadows  of  the 
central  plains  of  Venezuela.  The  delta  is  the  only  thickly 
wooded  part  of  the  Orinoco — the  upper  portion  of  the  river 
being  bounded  by  the  llanos , or  great  grassy  and  almost  tree- 
less plains. 

On  the  third  day  after  leaving  Port-of-Spain  we  reached 
Bolivar.  The  blue,  white,  and  yellow  walls  and  red  roofs  of  the 
houses,  running  in  terraces  upon  a low,  dome-shaped  hill,  and 
shining  under  the  morning  sun,  were  a very  pretty  sight. 
The  city  stands  upon  the  southern  side  or  right  bank  of  the 
river.  Opposite,  and  connected  by  a miniature  ferry-boat,  is 
a small  village  called  Soledad.  Two  buildings  stood  promi- 
nently forth  upon  the  top  of  the  city  hill,  the  hospital  and 
the  newly  completed  theatre,  while  the  tower  of  the  cathedral 


TRINIDAD  AND  UP  THE  ORINOCO. 


403 


was  but  a little  lower  down.  The  banks  are  smooth  and  high 
above  the  river,  especially  in  the  dry  season,  when  the  Ori- 
noco falls  some  thirty  feet.  In  the  stream  were  anchored 
four  or  five  steamers,  mostly  small  and  of  light  draught,  with 
stern-wheels,  for  up-river  service.  There  were  also  the  New 
York  steamer,  one  from  La  Guayra,  the  principal  port  of  Ven- 
ezuela in  the  Caribbean,  and  four  or  five  small  ships.  The 
lower  Orinoco  appeared,  as  we  came  up,  to  be  as.bare  of  sailing- 
vessels  atid  canoes  as  its  banks  were  bare  of  villages.  The  river 
at  Bolivar  is  perhaps  half  a mile  in  width.  On  the  first  street, 
that  facing  the  river,  are  the  shipping-offices,  the  custom- 
house, the  wholesale  warehouses,  many  of  the  finest  stores, 
and  the  best  hotels.  Water  is  pumped  from  the  Orinoco  and 
forced  into  mains  which  supply  the  city.  The  streets,  though 
paved,  are  grass-grown,  and  so  steep  that  no  carriages  can  be 
used,  and  they  are  even  dangerous  for  saddle-horses.  So 
much  of  a climb  is  it  from  the  water’s  edge  to  the  top  of  the 
hill,  that  I was  not  surprised,  though  much  amused,  to  find 
near  the  theatre  a drinking-shop  called  “ El  Bespiroso  ” {an- 
glice , a breathing- spot).  A pretty  little  park  contains  a bronze 
statue  of  Bolivar,  raised  on  a high  marble  pedestal.  It  is,  of 
course,  in  honor  of  the  great  Venezuelan  patriot  that  the  city 
has  been  named.  There  is  another  good  statue  in  Bolivar,  or, 
rather,  near  it.  In  ascending  the  Orinoco  you  may  see,  still 
a long  way  off,  with  marine  glasses,  a statue  reared  upon  a 
tall,  slender  spire,  inland,  behind  the  city,  to  the  south.  You 
naturally  marvel  at  its  singular  position,  and  none  the  less 
so  upon  walking  out  to  it.  Here  you  find  by  the  side  of  the 
road,  in  a little  open  space  on  one  flank  of  which  is  a line  of 
mud  hovels,  a good  marble  bust  of  General  Guzman  Blanco, 
the  Venezuelan  patriot  and  President,  raised  about  fifty  feet 
from  the  ground,  upon  a pedestal  of  brick  and  stucco.  The 
four  sides  of  the  substructure  contain  marble  tablets,  of  not 
very  good  workmanship.  The  attitude  and  carving  of  the 
semi-statue  (for  it  is  more  than  a bust,  showing  to  the  waist) 
are  very  creditable.  Owing  to  a low  intervening  hill,  this 
figure  can  not  be  seen  from  the  city.  The  explanation  given 


4 04  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


for  such  a peculiar  position  is,  that  it  is  placed  in  a district 
named  after  the  “Illustrious  American  Regenerator.”  It 
ought,  however,  to  be  placed  either  upon  the  summit  of  the 
city  hill,  in  the  open  square  near  the  theatre,  or  else  some- 
where upon  the  river  embankment.  I learned  that,  after 
having  stood  fourteen  years  in  its  present  place,  it  was  about 
to  be  removed  to  the  front  of  the  custom-house,  a very  good 
and  appropriate  location. 

In  returning  to  Port-of-Spain,  we  had  a full  list  of  first- 
class  passengers,  among  them  a lot  of  ladies,  most  of  whom, 
as  noticed  also  upon  the  Amazon  steamers,  appeared  to  be 
too  shy  to  come  to  the  table,  and  kept  their  rooms  the  greater 
part  of  the  voyage,  although  there  was  no  motion  calculated 
to  produce  any  degree  of  sea-sickness.  The  male  passengers 
spent  their  time  in  gambling  in  the  forward  cabin,  some- 
times the  stakes  being  in  silver,  and  occasionally  in  large 
gold  pieces.  The  favorite  game  appeared  to  be  vingt-et-un . 
This  gambling  continued  all  night,  and  greatly  annoyed  such 
passengers  as  had  rooms  near  the  forward  cabin.  Although 
the  inevitable  bar  was  on  board,  fortunately  there  were  not 
many  libations.  The  river  water  is  used  for  thirst-quench- 
ing purposes.  It  is  filtered  through  great  basins  of  a very 
coarse  sort  of  stone,  and  falls,  quite  clear,  into  a large  earth- 
enware jar.  In  going  down  the  river  we  saw  many  birds — 
herons,  hawks,  geese,  and  several  others  of  which  I do  not 
know  the  names.  We  passed  alligators  on  sand-banks,  and  a 
•great  water-hog  swimming  the  river.  We  did  not  find  the 
ocean  rough  in  crossing  to  the  Gulf  of  Paria,  and  reached 
Port-of-Spain  after  a pleasant  passage. 


CHAPTER  XLY. 


THE  BIRTHPLACE  OF  BOLIVAR. 

A few  days  later  I left  for  La  Guayra,  Venezuela,  in  a 
steamer  of  about  two  thousand  tons  burden  and  belonging  to 
the  “ West  India  and  Pacific  Steamship  Company,”  of  Liver- 
pool, which  sends  out  two  steamers  per  month.  Though 
quite  dark,  we  steamed  safely  through  the  Dragon’s  Mouth, 
the  navigable  channel  being  about  a mile  in  width,  and  early 
on  the  following  morning  we  passed  the  small  and  low  Testi- 
gos  Islands  to  the  north,  with  the  large  Island  of  Margarita 
in  sight  upon  the  left,  or  toward  the  south.  Margarita,  with 
its  sharply  pinnacled  hills  and  its  irregular  coast-lines,  looked 
extremely  picturesque.  It  is  for  the  most  part  bare  of  vege- 
tation and  thinly  inhabited.  A small  village  on  its  southern 
coast  is,  however,  the  center  of  an  extensive  fishing  industry. 
Toward  night  we  passed  quite  near  the  very  much  smaller 
Island  of  Tortuga,  and  going  on  deck  at  daylight  saw  before 
us  the  northern  coast  of  Venezuela,  a long  line  of  lofty  hills 
rising  steeply  from  the  water.  Their  crest  wras  comparative-, 
ly  uniform,  but  their  flanks  were  much  diversified.  The 
hills  lower  down  were  of  a rocky  character,  reddish  brown 
and  gray,  covered  with  huge  cacti.  Higher  up  they  were 
clothed  with  bright-green  scrub,  and  then,  on  to  their  tops, 
with  dwarfish  trees.  We  anchored  in  the  open  roadstead. 
The  shore  here  makes  nearly  half  a circle,  so  there  is  consid- 
erable protection  for  shipping,  though  not  enough  ; and  a 
stone  mole  is  in  progress  of  construction,  which  will  trans- 
form the  roadstead  into  a harbor.  A tremendous  big  swell 
generally  rolls  into  the  roadstead  of  La  Guayra — I know  of 


406  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


but  two  worse  anywhere  : Mollendo  in  southern  Peru,  and 
Vera  Cruz  in  Mexico — and  it  is  frequently  so  heavy  that  for 
days  together  no  freight  can  be  landed  or  embarked,  and 
passengers  have  to  be  hoisted  on  board  the  steamers  by  means 
of  chairs  and  ropes.  To  remedy  this  state  of  affairs,  an  Eng- 
lish company  is  now  engaged  in  building  a breakwater  of 
solid  cement,  intended  to  be  about  three  quarters  of  a mile 
in  length,  which  shall  make  a quiet  haven — inclosing  an  area 
of  about  sixty  acres — for  vessels  of  the  heaviest  draught. 
The  cost  of  this  structure,  as  ordered  by  the  Government,  is 
to  be  three  million  dollars,  and  the  time  to  be  consumed  in 
its  erection  five  years.  At  present  it  extends  but  about  two 
hundred  feet  from  the  shore,  and  apparently  is  being  washed 
away  as  rapidly  as  it  is  constructed.  The  hills  back  of  La 
Guayra  are  so  steep  that  the  town  has  the  odd  appearance 
of  being  built  upon  the  sides  of  a precipice.  The  scene,  how- 
ever, is  always  picturesque  and  interesting,  as  viewed  from 
a distance  out  at  sea.  In  the  early  morning,  or  late  evening, 
the  upper  hills  look  very  soft  and  green,  and  the  colors  of 
the  houses,  though  evident,  are  much  toned  down.  Ho 
clouds  cover  the  hills,  and  their  sharp  lines  stand  out  bravely 
against  a pure  blue  sky.  All  is  very  different  in  the  middle 
of  the  day.  Then  the  fierce  heat  and  bright  light  bring  the 
town  out  in  its  brightest  colors,  the  lower  parts  of  the  hills 
look  parched,  rough,  and  glowing  with  red  and  brown  tints, 
the  summits  of  the  range  are  covered  with  layers  of  fleecy 
clouds,  and  the  sea  and  surf  glisten  and  shine  most  radiantly. 
Three  miles  to  the  eastward  of  La  Guayra  is  the  little  village 
of  Macuto,  reached  from  the  town  by  a narrow-gauge  rail- 
way. About  a mile  to  the  westward  is  the  village  of  Mai- 
quetia,  standing  in  a beautiful  grove  of  palms.  Both  of  these 
environs  are  used  as  residences  by  merchants  doing  business 
in  La  Guayra.  Through  Macuto  runs  a brawling  little  river 
from  the  hills,  which  rise  almost  perpendicularly  behind  it. 
It  possesses  also  a nice,  cool,  shady  park,  and  two  good  sea- 
bathing establishments.  In  fact,  it  is  the  Coney  Island  of 
Venezuela.  From  December  to  February  it  is  crowded  with 


Plan  of  the  Railway  from  La  Guayra  to  Caracas. 


THE  BIRTHPLACE  OF  BOLIVAR.  407 

fashionable  people  from  the  capital,  who  come  for  the  sea- 
bathing. General  Blanco  possesses  a charming  villa  there. 
Yon  may  reach  either  of  these  pretty  suburbs  by  carriage  as 
well  as  by  railway. 

The  appearance  of  La  Guayra  from  the  ocean  is  indeed 
odd.  It  reaches  along  the  shore  for  a distance  of  a mile  or 
more,  with  two  or  three  extensions  up  the  steep  hills  and 
valleys,  which  are  reddish  brown  in  color  and  perfectly  bar- 
ren, but  for  a few  cacti.  In  fact,  save  the  large  cocoanut- 
grove  at  Maiquetia,  no  vegetation  of  any  kind  is  in  sight,  ex- 
cept near  the  summits  of  the  range.  The  color  of  the  pre- 
cipitous heights  is  exactly  the  same  as  the  roofs  of  the  houses. 
Zigzag  paths  extend  up  the  hills,  but  the  buildings  run  only 
a little  way.  Along  the  shore  there  is  generally  but  a single 
row.  The  dwellings  of  the  negroes  are  little  miniature  huts, 
with  a single  door  and  window.  The  houses  in  the  business 
quarter  are  two  and  three  stories  in  height.  The  streets, 
which  are  crooked  and  paved,  with  sidewalks  a couple  of 
feet  in  width,  are  dimly  lighted  at  night  by  oil-lamps.  Upon 
a prominent  knoll,  back  of  the  town,  is  a fort,  though  it  is 
in  a dilapidated  condition.  Hot  far  from  this  is  a small  bull- 
ring,  which  is  only  occasionally  occupied  by  companies  from 
Spain  that  visit  in  turn  the  larger  towns  of  Venezuela. 

There  is  nothing  of  any  special  moment  to  be  seen  in  La 

Guayra ; its  chief  interest  to  a stranger  centers  in  its  extraor- 
dinary situation.  It  looks  as  if  it  might  slide  into  the  sea 

at  any  moment.  Though  it  is  a very  hot  place,  it  is  regard- 

ed as  healthy.  But  its  only  excuse  for  existing  at  all,  is  that 
it  is  the  outlet,  the  seaport  of  the  city  of  Caracas,  which  is 
situated  but  nine  miles  inland  to  the  southward,  though  the 
railway  that  connects  the  two  has  to  make  a journey  of  twen- 
ty-three miles  in  order  to  scale  the  mountains.  A row  of 
about  a mile  took  me  ashore,  and  landed  me  at  a long  pier. 
In  going  from  this  to  the  custom-house,  I passed  a little  park 
filled  with  flowers  and  dwarfish  trees.  It  was  surrounded  by 
a neat  iron  fence,  and  in  its  center  was  a very  spirited  bronze 
equestrian  statue  of  General  Guzman  Blanco,  raised  upon  a 


408  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


white-marble  pedestal,  on  the  sides  of  which  were  emblemat- 
ical bronze  tablets.  At  each  corner  stood  great  bronze  can- 
delabra. This  statue  was  erected  in  1880,  and  is  considered 
a very  good  likeness  of  Blanco.  This  little  park  is  also  de- 
serving of  mention,  as  containing  about  all  the  trees  in  La 
Guayra.  The  distance  from  La  Guayra  to  Caracas  is,  “ as  the 
crow  flies,”  but  six  miles,  and  the  old  Spanish  mule-trail 
crosses  the  crest  of  the  mountains  at  an  elevation  of  six  thou- 
sand feet.  It  is  said  that  about  fifty  years  ago  an  English 
company  offered  to  excavate  a tunnel  between  the  two  cities, 
provided  the  Government  of  Venezuela  would  grant  to  them 
forever  the  right  to  all  the  minerals  that  might  be  found 
during  the  progress  of  the  work.  The  offer  was  not  accept- 
ed, however,  and  only  lately  a concession  has  been  granted 
to  an  American  company,  which  proposes  to  bore  the  grand 
subway,  with  the  intent  to  operate  a railway  through  it  by 
means  of  the  cable-grip  and  stationary  engine  system. 

The  railroad  which  runs  to  Caracas  was  built  by  an  Eng- 
lish company,  some  five  years  before  my  visit,  and  at  great 
expense,  owing  to  the  number  of  cuts  and  tunnels,  and  the 
steepness  of  the  grade — which  is  about  three  and  a half  per 
cent.  All  the  rolling-stock  is  of  British  importation.  Two 
passenger-trains  and  four  freight  or  “ goods  ” trains  are  run 
daily  each  way.  The  locomotives  are  small,  but  very  pow- 
erful. The  cars  are  small,  very  light,  of  two  classes,  and 
with  seats  running  along  the  sides,  from  end  to  end.  A 
first-class  passenger-ticket  to  Caracas  costs  two  dollars  and  a 
half.  The  railway  follows  the  old  coach-road,  which  is  now 
only  used  by  mule-troops.  The  cars  are  all  provided  with 
stout,  patent  brakes,  worked  from  the  locomotive.  It  is  said 
there  has  not  been  an  accident  since  the  line  was  opened, 
though  it  is  frequently  blocked  by  land  slides  and  by  great 
quantities  of  gravel  and  earth  washed  down  from  the  steep 
hills.  The  rains  are  very  heavy  and  of  long  duration.  Some- 
times the  railway  is  interrupted  for  days  at  a time,  and  then 
the  only  communication  with  the  capital  is  by  the  steep  mule- 
path  over  the  mountains,  or  by  the  old  coach-road.  The 


Scene  on  the  Railway  from  La  Guayra  to  Caracas. 


THE  BIRTHPLACE  OF  BOLIVAR. 


409 


train  stops  half  a dozen  times,  generally  to  take  water  for  the 
locomotive.  There  are  no  villages  on  the  route,  and  the 
country  is  not  cultivated.  The  railway  is  a very  remarkable 
feat  of  engineering,  reminding  me  of  several  in  Brazil, 
already  mentioned  in  these  pages.  It  is,  of  course,  a narrow 
gauge,  which  admits  of  very  sharp  curves,  and,  in  fact,  there 
is  scarcely  in  the  whole  road  a straight  stretch  of  five  hun- 
dred feet.  The  line  runs  far  to  the  westward,  winding  in 
and  out  of  the  valleys,  but  always  ascending  until  a height  of 
about  three  thousand  feet  is  reached.  Here,  of  course,  the 
air  is  much  cooler,  and  wraps  are  in  request.  The  views,  too, 
are  extensive  and  very  fine,  the  Caribbean  Sea  remaining  in 
sight  for  nearly  half  the  journey.  At  one  point,  called  Zig- 
zag, three  sections  of  the  road  are  in  view  at  one  and  the 
same  time.  Soon  after,  it  turns  to  the  interior  and  south, 
and  follows  along  the  precipitous  side  of  a grand  valley,  fully 
a thousand  feet  above  its  bed.  We  pass  through  a great 
many  rock-cuttings  and  several  tunnels.  Some  of  the  views 
directly  below  the  road  would  prove  rather  startling  to  a 
nervous  person.  As  we  near  Caracas,  the  country  becomes 
cultivated  and  somewhat  inhabited,  though  the  train  glides  into 
a fine  station  at  its  western  side  before  you  are  aware  of  the 
proximity  of  a city,  so  little  of  it  can  be  seen  by  this  entrance. 

Caracas  lies  at  the  bottom  of  a beautiful  valley,  two  or 
three  miles  in  width,  and  perhaps  fifteen  in  length,  closed  in 
by  mountains  from  eight  to  ten  thousand  feet  high.  Though 
comparatively  level,  there  is  an  even  but  decided  slope  from 
the  north  to  the  south.  This  promotes  a sanitary  drainage. 
The  mountain-ranges  are  rough,  and  covered  with  bright- 
green  grass  below.  Above,  you  see  only  dark-green  trees. 
Beyond  the  city,  both  east  and  west,  are  level  fields  planted 
with  sugar-cane,  vegetables,  coffee,  and  fruits.  At  the  east- 
ern side  is  a large  and  dense  wood.  Caracas  is  laid  out  at 
right  angles.  The  general  appearance  of  the  city,  from  the 
surrounding  hills,  is  monotonous,  the  universal  level  being 
broken  only  by  the  outlines  of  half  a dozen  churches,  and 
the  roof  of  the  opera-house.  The  houses,  built  of  mud  or 


410  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

brick,  with  peaked  tile-roofs,  are  mostly  but  one  story  in 
height.  The  streets  are  narrow,  never  (with  one  exception) 
more  than  fifteen  feet  in  width,  though  all  are  paved  with 
cobble-stones,  and  kept  unusually  clean.  The  sidewalks  are 
capitally  made  of  Portland  cement.  The  naming  of  the 
streets  in  Caracas  is  unique,  reminding  me  somewhat  of  the 
method  employed  in  Buenos  Ayres,  though,  when  once  com- 
prehended, the  process  here  employed  is  much  less  confusing 
than  there.  Two  streets  intersect  at  right  angles,  just  about 
the  center  of  the  city,  at  one  corner  of  the  Plaza  Bolivar,  the 
best  square.  These  streets  extend  toward  the  four  cardinal 
points.  Starting  from  the  corner  of  the  Plaza  Bolivar,  they 
are  designated  as  North,  East,  South,  and  West  Avenues. 
Then  the  streets  running  north  from  the  East  Avenue  are 
called  North  First,  North  Third,  Nortli  Fifth,  etc. ; and 
those  running  north  from  the  West  Avenue  are  called  North 
Second,  North  Fourth,  North  Sixth,  etc.  A similar  nomen- 
clature is  given  to  streets  running  south  from  East  and  West 
Avenues,  as  South  First,  South  Third,  South  Fifth ; South 
Second,  South  Fourth,  South  Sixth.  In  this  manner,  when 
once  the  mode  is  explained,  the  name  of  the  street  instantly 
denotes  its  position  with  regard  to  the  cardinal  points  of  the 
compass.  All  that  the  stranger  has  to  do  is  to  go  through 
the  process  of  orientation.  The  streets  running  parallel  to 
the  east  and  west  avenues  are  styled  east  and  west  respectively 
of  the  north  or  south  avenue,  with  odd  numbers  to  the 
north  and  even  numbers  to  the  south  of  that  dividing  line. 
Moreover,  each  house  has  its  particular  number,  an  unusual 
thing  for  a South  American  city.  There  are  two  or  three 
lines  of  narrow-gauge  tramway,  with  miniature  cars  of  but 
four  benches.  Plackney-coaches,  and  very  good  ones,  abound, 
while  the  carriages  to  be  had  at  private  livery-stables  are 
quite  as  good  as  those  in  New  York.  Carriage-hire  is  also 
very  reasonable — thirty  cents  to  cross  the  city,  or  a dollar  by 
the  hour  to  call  or  shop.  The  city  is  well  illuminated  by  gas 
and  electric  lights.  The  telephone  is  in  almost  universal 
use.  There  are  several  good  hotels,  having  a sort  of  com- 


THE  BIRTHPLACE  OF  BOLIVAR. 


411 


promise  between  French  and  Spanish  cookery.  Retail  stores 
are  numerous  and  various,  and  a goodly  number  of  foreign 
firms — chiefly  of  German  and  English  nationality — appear  to 
flourish.  The  dwellings  are  not  particularly  handsome,  either 
inside  or  out.  They  generally  have,  facing  the  street,  a large 
door  and  a large  window,  the  latter  always  heavily  barred 
with  iron  and  with  interior  shutters,  which  are  opened  to  let 
the  female  members  of  the  household  peep  through  wire  or 
wooden  gratings. 

About  the  center  of  the  western  extremity  of  the  city, 
the  top  of  the  steep  spur  of  a chain  of  hills  has  been  leveled, 
and  its  sides  terraced  in  order  to  make  a park  called  the 
Paseo  Guzman  Blanco,  whence  the  finest  view  of  Caracas  and 
its  valley  and  surrounding  mountains  may  be  obtained.  The 
summit  of  this  hill  is  perhaps  five  hundred  feet  above  the 
city.  A good  carriage-road  turns  and  winds,  doubles  and 
zigzags,  from  the  bottom  to  the  top.  At  the  base  an  enor- 
mous semicircle  of  stone  steps  leads  to  a foot-path  which  con- 
tinues to  the  top.  Beautiful  and  rare  plants  and  flowers  are 
everywhere  set  out.  You  pass  fountains  and  pavilions,  cages 
of  animals  and  birds,  and  find  a very  pretty  flower-garden 
upon  the  summit.  Here  stands  a colossal  bronze  statue  of 
Guzman  Blanco,  reared  upon  a red  and  yellow  sandstone 
base,  which  itself  stands  upon  a huge  brick  foundation  of 
three  terraces.  Around  this  you  walk,  by  a gradually  in- 
clined plane,  on  and  upward  to  the  statue.  The  railing  which 
bounds  this  mammoth  foundation  is  made  of  old  musket-barrels 
and  cannon-balls.  The  position  of  the  statue  is  so  prominent 
as  to  be  seen  from  any  part  of  the  city,  and,  I had  almost 
said,  valley.  The  wonders  which  the  genius  of  man  has 
worked  upon  this  rough  and  forbidding  eminence  called  forci- 
bly to  mind  a similar  work  effected  with  the  pyramidal  hill  of 
Santa  Lucia  at  Santiago,  Chili.  A little  farther  to  the  west- 
ward is  the  distributing  reservoir,  the  water  used  by  Caracas 
coming  in  an  open  aqueduct,  from  a river  eighteen  miles 
distant.  Large  iron-pipes  conduct  the  water  through  the 
city.  From  the  Paseo  Guzman  Blanco  I went  to  the  public 


412  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


market,  situated  near  the  center  of  the  city,  and  occupying 
nearly  an  entire  square.  The  buildings  formed  a quadrangle, 
which  was  mostly  used  by  dealers  in  knickknacks  and  by 
small  restaurateurs.  Great,  iron-roofed  sheds  in  the  court- 
yard contained  the  fruits,  meats,  and  vegetables.  A profuse 
supply  of  all  of  these  was  on  hand,  and  the  variety  of  fruits 
and  vegetables — coming  as  they  did  from  both  tropic  and 
temperate  zones — truly  astonished  me.  Opposite  the  market 
is  a pretty  little  square,  full  of  trees  and  flowers,  and  con- 
taining a bronze  statue  of  the  man  who  was  at  once  the  father 
of  General  Blanco  and  the  editor  of  an  influential  Caracas 
newspaper.  An  interesting  curiosity,  in  the  shape  of  a small 
stone  sun-dial,  made  and  used  by  Alexander  von  Humboldt 
during  his  visit  to  Caracas  in  January,  1800,  is  now  affixed  to 
one  of  the  corner-posts  of  the  railing  which  surrounds  this 
park.  From  here  I visited  the  Plaza  Bolivar,  close  at  hand. 
It  also  is  a pretty  little  square,  surrounded  by  a neat  iron  fence, 
and  containing  graceful  bronze  candelabra  for  gas.  In  the 
center  of  the  garden  stands  the  finest  statue  in  Caracas,  that  of 
Bolivar,  which  was  erected  by  General  Blanco.  It  is  a colos- 
sal equestrian  figure,  the  horse  rearing  upon  his  hind  legs, 
and  ingeniously  supported  by  his  tail,  that  touches  the  ground, 
exactly  as  ‘in  the  statue  of  Peter  the  Great  at  St.  Petersburg. 
The  images  are  of  bronze,  the  pedestal  of  a beautiful  bluish- 
gray  granite,  highly  polished.  An  inscription  on  the  front 
of  the  base  informs  the  visitor  that  Simon  Bolivar  was 
the  liberator  of  Venezuela,  Hew  Granada,  and  Peru,  and  the 
founder  of  Bolivia.  On  other  sides  I read  that  this  great 
man — the  Washington  of  South  America — was  born  in  Ca- 
racas, July  24, 1783,  and  died  at  Santa  Marta  (United  States 
of  Colombia)  on  December  17,  1830.  Ilis  remains  were 
brought  to  Caracas,  and  re-entombed  on  December  17,  1842 ; 
and,  in  1874,  the  illustrious  American,  Guzman  Blanco, 
President  of  the  Bepublic,  caused  this  monument  to  be 
erected. 

Many  of  the  public  buildings  of  Caracas  are  handsome 
in  architecture  and  pleasing  in  both  contents  and  intents. 


THE  BIRTHPLACE  OF  BOLIVAR. 


413 


The  university  occupies  nearly  all  of  a large  square.  Its 
facade  is  of  the  Gothic  order,  with  stained-glass  windows. 
There  are  two  courts,  one  beyond  the  other,  filled  with  shrubs 
and  beautiful  flowers.  The  first  contains  a bronze  statue  of 
Dr.  Vargas,  who  bequeathed  to  the  university  a small  library 
and  a very  good  museum  of  a miscellaneous  character,  rep- 
resenting the  three  kingdoms  of  nature.  The  second  court 
contains  the  bronze  statue  of  a famous  citizen,  named  Cajegal, 
who  was  the  founder  of  mathematical  studies  in  Venezuela. 
Passing  through  this  court-yard,  you  come  out  upon  a broad 
stone  platform,  adjoining  another  street,  and  containing  a life- 
size  bronze  statue  of  Bolivar.  The  University  Library  is 
used  by  the  public.  It  is  a miscellaneous  collection  of  about 
thirty  thousand  volumes.  In  front  of  the  university,  and 
occupying  an  entire  square,  are  the  Halls  of  Congress,  the 
Federal  Palace,  the  Federal  Courts,  and  the  Government 
offices.  This  huge  quadrangular  building  is  surrounded  on 
three  sides  by  wide  avenues  containing  double  rows  of  trees, 
something  after  the  style  of  the  Paris  boulevards.  The  build- 
ing, though  only  a single  story  in  height,  and  constructed  of 
brick  and  stucco,  is  quite  imposing.  The  interior  is  laid  out 
in  a pretty  garden,  with  a fine  large  bronze  fountain  in  the 
center.  A carriage-road,  having  great  bronze  gateways,  passes 
through,  from  street  to  street.  The  space  between  the  uni- 
versity and  the  Halls  of  Congress  is  termed  the  Plaza  Guz- 
man Blanco,  from  a handsome  bronze  equestrian  image  of  the 
general  standing  in  its  center.  Hear  the  statue  are  two  enor- 
mous bronze  cannon,  made  in  Seville,  and  captured  from  the 
Spaniards  during  the  War  of  Independence.  The  two  Houses 
of  Congress,  the  Senate  and  the  Deputies,  are  exceedingly 
plain,  fitted  with  mahogany  tribunes,  and  chairs  with  broad 
arms  to  be  used  in  place  of  desks.  A few  paintings  of  Boli- 
var and  Blanco  alone  relieved  the  staring  white  of  the  walls. 
Directly  opposite  these  two  legislative  halls  is  the  Federal  Pal- 
ace, a sort  of  large  reception-room,  of  elliptical  form,  occasion- 
ally used  for  state  balls,  with  a laid-wood  floor  of  neat  pattern, 
and  furnished  with  chairs  and  sofas  covered  with  red,  yellow, 


414  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


and  bine  figured  satin.  The  windows  have  hangings  of  red 
and  yellow  silk,  and  bear  the  coat-of-arms  of  Venezuela,  beau- 
tifully embroidered  in  a variety  of  gay  colors.  But  the  most 
interesting  thing  about  this  room  is  a collection  of  painted 
portraits  of  about  fifty  men  famous  in  Venezuelan  history. 
These  date  from  Bolivar  and  the  War  of  Independence,  down 
to  the  present  day  and  Guzman  Blanco ; and  though  most  of 
them  represent  military  heroes,  yet  they  also  include  states- 
men and  men  of  science  and  letters.  It  is  a most  interesting 
and  valuable  portrait  gallery,  of  which  all  Venezuelans 
should  be  especially  proud.  The  opera-house — called  the 
Teatro  Guzman  Blanco — is  only  two  squares  distant  from  the 
Halls  of  Congress.  This  modern  building  is,  like  the  Federal 
Palace,  elliptical  in  shape,  with  a portico  and  stained-glass 
windows.  It  has  three  galleries  and  a parquette,  and  will 
seat  altogether  about  twenty-five  hundred  people.  The  box 
of  the  President  is  in  the  center  of  the  dress-circle.  A hand- 
some crystal  chandelier  depends  from  the  middle  of  the  roof. 
The  house  is  illumined  by  electric  lights.  Paintings  of  fa- 
mous composers  and  poets  adorn  the  galleries.  The  foyer, 
strange  to  say,  is  at  the  top  and  front  of  the  house,  a very 
large  room  containing  some  good  engravings  and  a large 
medallion  of  Guzman  Blanco.  This  house  is  generally  closed 
during  the  summer.  A smaller  theatre,  called  the  Teatro 
Caracas,  in  the  northern  part  of  the  city,  is  apt  to  be  open  a 
large  part  of  the  year,  and  is  usually  occupied  by  an  opera 
comique  or  bouffe  troupe. 


CHAPTER  XLVL 


GENEEAL  GUZMAN  BLANCO. 

The  Panteon  Nacional  of  Caracas — a sort  of  Venezuelan 
Westminster  Abbey — is  a large  church  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  city,  once  old  and  dilapidated,  but  now  reconstructed 
and  put  in  good  order  for  use  as  a National  Mausoleum.  In 
the  part  usually  reserved  for  a high  altar  in  a Catholic  church 
lie  the  remains  of  Simon  Bolivar,  under  a splendid  white- 
marble  cenotaph  embracing  a life-size  statue  of  the  general 
and  libertador  (liberator),  flanked  by  large  emblematic  fig- 
ures, and  supplemented  by  allegorical  tablets.  The  front  of 
the  monument  is  almost  covered  with  wreaths  of  artificial 
flowers,  which  produce  a pretty  effect.  The  walls  contain 
slabs  of  alabaster  and  marble  engraved  with  coats -of- arms  of 
illustrious  Venezuelans,  and  selections  from  the  sayings  and 
writings  of  Bolivar.  Above  the  cenotaph  is  a splendid  crys- 
tal chandelier  holding  hundreds  of  candles,  and  two  huge 
candelabra  stand  at  the  sides.  On  either  hand  are  large 
book-cases  containing  collections  of  books  and  periodicals  in 
all  languages,  referring  to  the  life  and  career  of  Simon  Boli- 
var The  Venezuelans  cherish  most  fondly  everything  con- 
nected with  the  name  and  fame  of  that  celebrated  man.  I 
went  into  a store  one  morning  and  saw,  above  an  inner  door, 
a marble  slab  let  into  the  wall,  which  informed  me  that  in 
that  house  was  born  the  Liberator  of  Venezuela,  in  1783. 
What  is  termed  the  National  Museum  is  simply  a collection 
of  Bolivar  relics,  paintings,  statues,  and  rich  gift-offerings  of 
various  towns  and  individuals,  on  the  occasion  of  the  Bolivar 
centennial,  which  are  preserved  in  two  small  rooms  in  the 


416  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


same  building  wherein  is  the  Venezuelan  Academy.  In  refer- 
ence to  the  Academy  I might  mention  that  its  meetings  are 
held  in  a handsomely  frescoed  room,  in  the  center  of  which 
is  a large  oval  table,  perhaps  twenty  feet  in  length  and  five 
in  width.  Around  this  sit  the  sixteen  members  of  the  Acad- 
emy, in  great,  high-backed  chairs.  This  table,  covered  with 
green  baize  in  the  center,  has  a deep  border  of  inlaid  woods, 
the  dark  cocoanut  being  especially  prominent,  while  the  re- 
mainder is  made  of  fragrant  cedar.  A neighboring  room 
contains  a small  but  valuable  library  on  general  philology, 
and  works  on  the  Spanish  language. 

The  Caracas  ladies  are  dark,  but  many  of  them  very 
beautiful,  with  velvety  skin,  luxuriant,  coal-black  hair,  and 
wTonderf ul  Hashing  eyes,  which  they  well  know  how  to  use  to 
the  utter  destruction  of  a young  man’s  peace  of  mind.  In 
the  streets  they  wear  both  black  and  light-colored  dresses. 
The  black  dresses,  with  the  lace-fringed  black  mantle,  seem 
to  best  become  their  style  of  beauty.  They  never  wear 
hats  in  the  street,  and  rarely  boots,  but,  instead,  high-heeled 
French  slippers.  Their  walk  and  general  carriage  are  grace- 
ful, and  not  a little  coquettish.  As  I passed  along  the  side- 
walks, I noticed  that  all  the  shutters  were  thrown  wide  open, 
thus  giving  an  unobstructed  view  of  the  parlors  and  the 
people.  These  rooms  are  generally  plainly  furnished,  but 
brilliantly  lighted,  and  full  of  gayly  dressed  and  vivaciously 
chatting  people  who  seemed  to  be  quite  unconscious  of  the 
bold  publicity  of  their  doings.  Occasionally  might  be  seen  a 
young  cavalier  talking  through  the  great  iron  bars  of  a win- 
dow to  a blushing  senorita  sitting  on  the  window-sill  within. 
But  still  more  likely  would  you  find  all  the  inmates  crowded 
into  the  window  recesses,  and  gazing  curiously  into  the 
streets  and  at  the  passers-by. 

Nearly  all  the  fine  public  buildings,  parks,  and  statues  of 
Caracas  have  been  built  by  Guzman  Blanco.  Almost  all  the 
important  public  works  have  also  been  initiated  and  com- 
pleted by  this  remarkably  enterprising  man.  If  Paris  was 
Ilaussmannized,  then  in  a much  broader,  grander  sense  has 


GENERAL  GUZMAN  BLANCO. 


417 


Caracas  been  Blancoized.  Three  statues  to  him  in  Caracas, 
and  many  others  in  different  cities  of  the  republic,  erected 
during  his  lifetime,  attest  the  gratitude  of  an  appreciative 
nation.  It  certainly  can  not  be  said  that  Blanco  himself  was 
ungenerous  or  narrow-minded,  for  he  has  erected  many  stat- 
ues in  Caracas  to  famous  Venezuelans,  and  also  a statue  to 
one  not  a Venezuelan — George  Washington.  A few  months 
before  my  arrival  at  Caracas,  General  Blanco,  who  had  been 
representing  his  country  in  England  and  France  for  the  pre- 
vious two  years,  returned  to  enter  upon  the  duties  of  Presi- 
dent, an  office  to  which  he  had  been  elected  for  the  third 
time.  He  came  from  France  by  the  way  of  Barbados,  and 
was  welcomed  back  in  the  most  enthusiastic  manner,  the 
people  taking  a three  days’  holiday,  during  which  festivities 
of  various  kinds — such  as  processions,  receptions,  banquets, 
bull-fights,  illuminations,  and  a solemn  Te  Deum  sung  in  the 
cathedral — followed  each  other  in  rapid  succession.  The 
officials  issued  laudatory  and  congratulator y pronunciamientos, 
while  the  newspapers  echoed  the  popular  joy  and  patriotic 
feeling  in  the  most  extraordinary  outbursts  of  rhetoric. 
There  was  scarcely  a house  in  the  city  but  displayed  the 
Venezuelan  tricolor — red,  blue,  and  yellow.  Bows  of  gas- 
jets  were  arranged  in  most  of  the  parks,  banners  marked 
“ Peace”  were  everywhere  displayed  on  tall  staffs,  while  the 
street  through  which  General  Blanco  passed  to  his  house 
was  ornamented  with  several  triumphant  arches.  The  great 
quantity  of  bunting,  everywhere  displayed,  gave  the  city  a 
very  gay  and  animated  appearance,  as  did  the  colored  lan- 
terns, which  were  suspended  between  the  trees  and  the  stat- 
ues in  the  plazas,  decorated  with  beautiful  flowers  and  ever- 
greens. The  people,  in  holiday  attire,  restlessly  paraded  the 
streets,  quite  beside  themselves  with  excitement  and  joy. 
Fire- works  were  continuously  set  off,  by  day  as  wTell  as  night. 
Two  trains  of  prominent  officials,  including  the  acting  Presi- 
dent, the  archbishop,  and  the  diplomatic  corps,  went  down 
to  La  Guayra  to  receive  the  “ Illustrious  American,”  as  his 
countrymen  love  to  style  General  Blanco,  and  to  escort  him 


418  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

up  to  the  capital.  Many  of  the  newspapers  came  out  in 
double  numbers,  on  tinted  paper,  with  covers  and  illustra- 
tions wholly  devoted  to  eulogies  of  Guzman  Blanco.  Sev- 
eral of  the  ordinary  newspapers  were  issued  gratis.  General 
Blanco  was  welcomed  at  La  Guayra  with  glowing  speeches 
and  inspiriting  music,  and  being  escorted  to  the  capital  was 
received  with  the  wildest  enthusiasm  by  the  citizens,  nearly 
all  of  whom  seemed  to  be  in  the  streets.  The  general  was 
attended  to  his  house  amid  a salute  of  artillery,  ringing  of 
church  bells,  the  music  of  military  bands,  fire-works  bursting 
in  air,  and  vociferous  cheering  by  the  populace.  Besides  the 
popular  amusements  above  catalogued,  might  be  mentioned 
bull-racing  in  the  principal  streets,  a banquet  for  the  people 
in  the  public  market-place,  and  a gala  concert  by  the  famous 
pianist,  Teresina  Carreno,  a native  of  Caracas,  and  a lady 
who  has  often  been  heard  in  New  York,  and  always  with  in- 
terest and  delight.  Finally,  the  Venezuelan  Academy,  of 
which  Guzman  Blanco  is  the  president,  celebrated  what  it 
was  pleased  to  term  a “ solemn  session.”  The  career  of  a 
man  to  whom  such  extraordinary  honors  have  been  paid  is 
well  worthy  of  recital. 

Antonio  Guzman  Blanco  was  born  in  the  city  of  Caracas 
in  1830*  His  father,  of  whom  I have  already  spoken,  was  a 
journalist  and  politician.  He  had  been  private  secretary  to 
the  great  liberator,  Bolivar,  and  may  be  considered  as  the 
founder  of  the  Liberal  party  in  Venezuela.  Guzman  was 
educated  at  the  University  of  Caracas,  where  he  acquired 
proficiency  in  various  branches  of  learning,  principally  in 
law,  though  his  tastes  naturally  led  him  to  cultivate  belles- 
lettres,  in  which  pursuit  he  had  considerable  success.  The 
liberal  principles  instilled  into  his  mind  by  his  father,  how- 
ever, soon  diverted  the  thoughts  of  the  young  man  to  poli- 
tics. He  quickly  came  prominently  to  the  front,  as  one  of 
the  leaders  of  the  great  revolution  that  set  Venezuela  free 
from  the  tyranny  under  which  she  had  suffered  since  1830. 
He  displayed  so  much  ability,  both  as  a soldier  and  an  ad- 
ministrator, that  when  the  dictator,  General  Paez,  was  forced, 


lift 


General  Guzman  Blanco. 


) 


GENERAL  GUZMAN  BLANCO . 419 

after  a protracted  and  bloody  struggle,  to  sue  for  peace,  be 
was  intrusted,  witli  bis  friend  and  former  chief,  General  Fal- 
con, with  the  reorganization  of  the  republic.  Blanco  became 
Vice-President.  lie  was,  at  the  same  time,  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  and  went  to  London  to  negotiate  a loan.  On  bis 
return,  be  was,  for  a short  time,  in  charge  of  the  executive, 
and  afterward  was  elected  President  of  Congress.  In  1868 
another  revolution  overthrew  the  existing  government.  But 
the  triumph  of  the  Liberal  party  was  soon  followed  by  a 
state  of  complete  anarchy  and  disturbance.  General  Blanco 
was  invited  to  take  command  and  restore  public  order. 
Within  seventy  days  the  campaign  was  at  an  end,  and  Blanco 
entered  Caracas  in  triumph,  at  the  head  of  eight  thousand 
soldiers.  He  became  provisional  President,  with  extraordi- 
nary powers,  and  ruled  the  country  for  four  years  as  a dic- 
tator. 

Though  invested  with  absolute  power,  he  did  not  abuse 
the  trust,  but  devoted  his  energies  to  the  reorganization  of 
the  nation,  and  to  leading  it  into  the  paths  of  peace  and 
progress.  His  first  care  was  to  provide  public  instruction, 
which  had  been  almost  abandoned.  During  his  term  of 
office  he  doubled  the  number  of  primary  government  schools 
and  scholars,  and  established  six  normal  institutions,  and 
about  twenty  national  colleges.  In  the  Department  of  Public 
Works,  and  as  regards  the  development  of  the  country,  what- 
ever there  was  in  Venezuela  in  1877  was  due  to  the  energy  of 
President  Guzman  Blanco.  Large  sums  were  spent  on  rail- 
ways, roads,  bridges,  telegraphs,  and  city  improvements. 
Equal  success  attended  his  efforts  in  reorganizing  the  national 
finances.  The  revenue,  which  formerly  was  not  sufficient  to 
pay  the  salaries  of  the  public  employes,  soon  increased  under 
his  administration,  so  as  to  be  not  only  sufficient  to  meet  the 
current  expenses,  and  provide  the  millions  spent  on  public 
works,  but  also  to  re-establish  public  credit  in  the  interior, 
and  to  leave  a surplus  in  the  national  treasury.  Nor  were 
other  branches  of  administration  disregarded.  The  civil, 
military,  and  penal  codes  were  revised,  and  the  best  and 


420  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


most  modern  provisions  were  incorporated  into  them.  His 
presidential  period  having  been  completed,  General  Blanco 
handed  over  the  administration  to  his  successor,  and,  leaving 
everything  in  order,  went  once  more  to  Europe.  But  soon 
reactionary  movements  began.  The  people  rose  en  masse 
and  invoked  the  aid  of  Guzman  Blanco,  who,  thus  called 
upon  by  his  fellow-citizens,  returned  at  once  to  his  country, 
and  immediately  succeeded  in  restoring  order.  He  was  again 
elected  President,  and  directed  the  Government  of  Venezuela 
from  1880  to  1884.  This  second  constitutional  period  having 
come  to  an  end,  he  was  again  returned  to  Europe  as  ambassa- 
dor to  Prance  and  England. 

The  second  term  of  office  was  no  less  fruitful  of  benefi- 
cent results  than  his  first.  He  made  an  arrangement  with 
the  holders  of  the  national  debt  whereby  an  interest  of  three 
per  cent  annually  was  secured  to  them.  This  has  regularly 
been  paid  ever  since.  The  boundaries  of  the  republic  were 
defined  in  all  their  extension,  and  an  immense  territory  in 
the  valley  of  the  Amazon,  which  had  been  neglected  by  pre- 
vious administrations,  was  reclaimed  by  Venezuela.  So 
much  attention  was  given  at  this  time  to  public  instruction, 
that  when  the  President  left  power,  there  were  nearly  in  round 
numbers  two  thousand  national  schools,  attended  by  one  hun- 
dred thousand  scholars,  as  against  five  hundred  schools  and 
thirteen  thousand  scholars  when  he  was  first  elected  President 
in  1873.  He  also  founded  a polytechnic  school  and  a school 
of  arts  and  trades,  another  of  marine,  and  another  of  teleg- 
raphy, all  of  which  are  of  great  service  to  the  state.  Chief 
among  the  public  works  carried  out  during  this  period  may 
be  mentioned  the  La  Guayra  and  Caracas  Bailway,  that  from 
Macuto  to  Maiquetia,  and  several  lines  running  from  the 
capital  into  the  interior.  The  system  of  national  telegraphs 
was  largely  extended,  and  gas-works,  electric  lighting,  and 
the  telephone  were  introduced.  In  spite  of  the  large  sums 
spent  in  public  works,  the  finances  of  the  country  were  so 
well  managed  that  when  General  Crespo  came  into  power, 
in  1884,  he  found  a surplus  of  over  two  million  dollars  in 


GENERAL  GUZMAN  BLANCO . 


421 


the  treasury.  Peace  was  steadily  maintained.  The  Consti- 
tution was  revised,  and  more  liberal  statutes  adopted.  The 
presidential  period  was  reduced,  and  a Council  of  Adminis- 
tration was  constituted,  without  the  consent  of  which  the  ex- 
ecutive power  can  not  act. 

In  1886  Guzman  Blanco  again  assumed  the  presidency, 
and  in  1888  he  returned  once  more  to  Europe  as  minister 
plenipotentiary,  where  he  now  represents  his  country  with 
dignity  “near  the  Governments”  of  France  and  England. 
Such,  in  brief,  are  the  chief  events  in  the  career  of  this  ex- 
traordinary man.  In  view  of  all  that  he  has  done  for  his 
country,  working  under  so  many  difficulties,  General  Guz- 
man Blanco  well  deserves  to  be  considered  a statesman  of 
high  order,  and  to  enjoy  the  title  of  “ Illustrious  American  ” 
conferred  upon  him  by  his  grateful  countrymen.  His  energy, 
his  influence,  his  wisdom,  and  his  works  are  apparent  in 
every  town,  on  every  road  throughout  the  land.  He  is  the 
only  ruler  of  the  country  who  has  done  much  to  develop  it. 
And  Venezuela  is  one  of  the  richest  and  most  enlightened 
countries  of  South  America.  There  is,  in  fact,  everything 
to  make  a prosperous  country,  except  population.  There  are 
only  two  million  inhabitants  in  a country  more  than  twice  as 
large  as  France.  All  climates  exist  there,  so  that  wheat,  as 
well  as  coffee  may  be  raised.  The  country  is  ripe  for  devel- 
opment as  soon  as  railroads  and  other  facilities  induce  immi- 
gration. Guzman  Blanco  is  enormously  rich.  He  owns  sev- 
eral entire  provinces.  Besides  his , town-house,  in  the  capital, 
he  possesses  a magnificent  country-seat,  up  the  valley  from 
Caracas,  about  an  hour’s  drive,  and  reached  also  by  rail.  The 
“season”  in  Caracas  used  to  be  whenever  Blanco  was  in 
town,  and  terminated  when  he  left.  Madame  Guzman 
Blanco  is  a remarkably  handsome  woman,  and  is,  moreover, 
very  amiable  and  charitable. 

From  La  Guayra  I wished  to  visit  the  only  remaining 
South  American  country — the  United  States  of  Colombia — 
yet  unseen.  So  I took  a steamer  of  the  West  India  and 
Pacific  Company,  which  called  first  at  Puerto  Oabello,  in  Yen- 


422  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


ezuela,  and  next  at  Curasao,  the  largest  of  the  Dutch  West 
India  Islands,  lying  about  seven ty-five  miles  from  the  Span- 
ish Main.  Then,  rounding  Point  Gallinas,  the  most  north- 
erly land  of  South  America,  we  headed  directly  for  Sava- 
nilla,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Magdalena,  which  river  I expected 
to  ascend  on  my  way  to  the  capital,  Santa  Fe  de  Bogota. 
Puerto  Cabello  lies  upon  a long,  narrow,  low  peninsula,  set- 
ting out  to  the  northward  from  the  base  of  the  same  range 
of  mountains  which  back  La  Guayra.  The  position  and  ap- 
pearance of  the  town  are  very  picturesque.  The  roadstead 
is  of  crescent  shape,  with  a fine  sandy  beach,  and  groves  of 
cocoa-palms  in  the  distance.  To  the  east  of  the  town  is  an 
extensive  and  deep  lagoon,  into  which  large  steamers  may  en- 
ter, and  lie  snugly  at  the  wharves.  The  town  reaches  directly 
down  to  the  water’s  edge.  In  the  interior,  about  twenty 
miles  southeast  of  Puerto  Cabello,  is  the  important  city  of 
Valencia,  formerly  connected  with  its  seaport  by  diligence, 
but  to  which  a railway  is  now  completed.  After  a little 
more  than  a day  in  Puerto  Cabello,  we  left  for  Curasao  at 
six,  one  evening,  and  early  the  next  morning  sighted  the  long, 
narrow,  and  generally  low  island,  which  is,  I believe,  about 
forty  miles  in  length  by  ten  in  width.  The  occasional 
jagged  points,  precipitous  cliffs,  and  numerous  hillocks,  in- 
dicated a volcanic  origin.  The  island  seemed  destitute  of 
trees  or  other  vegetation,  and  had  a very  calcareous,  sandy, 
dry  appearance.  Lime-phosphate  is  mined  there.  At  inter- 
vals, in  the  mouths  of  little  valleys,  were  hamlets  of  negroes. 
The  capital,  situated  at  about  the  western  center  of  the  island, 
is  called  Willemstad.  The  houses  of  this  town  are  built  com- 
pactly together,  with  few  or  no  trees  intervening,  and  their 
walls  are  of  very  gay  colors,  which,  with  the  two  gray  forts 
at  the  entrance  of  the  harbor,  the  long  range  of  smooth  hills 
behind,  and  the  great,  square,  brown  fort  on  top  of  a central 
hill,  rnfike  a very  picturesque  ensemble.  The  great  variety 
of  bright  colors  gives  the  place  so  fanciful  an  appearence  as  to 
seem  almost  frivolous.  It  looks,  for  all  the  world,  like  one 
of  the  toy  villages  so  dear  to  children.  The  many  dormer- 


GENERAL  GUZMAN  BLANCO. 


423 


windows,  quaint  little  towers,  steep-pitched  roofs,  and  houses 
with  gable-ends  facing  the  streets,  again  vividly  recall  Hol- 
land. The  entrance  to  the  commodious  and  deep  harbor 
is  not  more  than  three  hundred  feet  in  width.  The  fortresses 
on  each  hand  mount  guns  of  but  slight  caliber,  and  seem 
much  dilapidated.  Around  the  harbor  proper  are  the  great 
warehouses,  while  about  a large  arm  of  it  are  most  of  the 
residences.  In  the  harbor  were  a number  of  steamers,  a few 
ships,  two  men-of-war,  and  a small  fleet  of  schooners,  wThich 
ply  between  Curasao  and  the  Spanish  Main.  Diminutive 
flat-bottomed  boats  were  continually  ferrying  people  across. 

The  streets  of  the  city  are  narrow,  and  paved  with  little 
blocks  of  stone.  The  short  cross-streets  are  only  four  or  five 
feet  in  width.  Though  the  heat  is  great,  and  rain  scarcely 
ever  falls,  a fresh  breeze  always  blows  from  the  north'  or 
southeast,  and  the  island  is  said  to  be  remarkably  healthy  as 
a residence  for  foreigners.  The  population  of  Willemstad  is 
about  twenty-five  thousand,  which  is  a little  more  than  half 
that  of  the  whole  island.  Though  a Dutch  colony,  it  is  a 
very  cosmopolitan  sort  of  place.  You  see  every  variety  of 
complexion,  and  hear  half  a dozen  tongues,  in  a walk  of  a 
few  blocks.  The  telephone  is  in  general  use.  There  is  a 
good  club  house,  with  a reading-room  well  supplied  with 
journals  in  many  languages.  The  island  produces  little  or 
nothing,  but  Willemstad,  being  a free  port,  attracts  a consid- 
erable transfer  of  products,  and  many  lines  of  ocean-steam- 
ers touch  regularly  here ; besides,  great  quantities  of  goods 
are  brought  and  sold  to  dealers  for  the  Spanish  Main.  Cura- 
sao must  be  fed  altogether  from  without,  much  food  coming 
from  Europe  and  the  United  States,  and  some  also  from  the 
neighboring  shores  of  Venezuela  and  Colombia.  The  island 
gives  name  to  the  well-known  liquor  called  Curasao.  This 
highly  esteemed  aromatic  cordial  is  made  from  small  oranges, 
or  orange-peel,  cinnamon,  and  cloves,  digested  in  weak  spirits. 

We  remained  at  Willemstad  only  during  the  day,  leav- 
ing at  5 p.  m.  for  Savanilla.  During  the  night  we  passed  be- 
tween the  Dutch  Island  of  Oruba,  on  the  right  (north)  hand, 


424:  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


and  the  Paraguana  peninsula,  connected  with  the  mainland 
by  a long  and  narrow  isthmus,  only  three  or  four  miles  in 
width,  on  the  left — the  channel  separating  the  two  being  but 
about  fifteen  miles  broad.  We  also  crossed,  before  morning, 
the  mouth  of  the  Gulf  of  Venezuela,  into  which  empties 
Lake  Maracaybo,  through  a long  and  narrow  channel,  upon 
the  western  side  whereof  is  the  city  of  Maracaybo — the  third 
in  size  and  importance  in  Venezuela.  In  the  channel  of 
Maracaybo  Lake  there  is  but  ten  feet  of  water  at  high  tide, 
so  that  only  light-draught  steamers  can  enter.  A small 
American  steamer  runs  between  Curasao  and  Maracaybo 
three  times  each  month.  At  8 a.  m.  we  were  about  six  miles 
off  the  Guajira  Peninsula  and  Point  Gallinas,  the  northern 
extremity  of  South  America.  We  could  see,  at  a distance 
inland,  a range  of  hills  perhaps  two  thousand  feet  in  height, 
the  region  about  the  point  being  generally  very  low.  Early 
next  morning  we  passed  the  town  of  Santa  Marta,  the  capi- 
tal of  a province  of  the  same  name,  in  the  United  States  of 
Colombia.  It  stands  upon  the  shore,  at  the  base  of  a lofty 
ridge  of  mountains,  which  rises  gradually,  and  finally  termi- 
nates in  the  great,  snowy  peaks  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  de 
Santa  Marta.  The  town  of  Santa  Marta  was  once  very  im- 
portant, but  it  is  now  falling  into  decay,  through  the  trade 
of  the  interior  being  directed  to  Barranquilla  and  Salgar,  on 
the  Magdalena.  I had  a superb  view  of  the  five  conical 
peaks  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  sixteen  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  forty  feet  high,  and  covered  with  snow,  as  their 
name  indicates.  They  are  visible  at  sea,  in  clear  weather,  a 
distance  of  about  seventy  miles.  They  extend  east  and  west, 
or  at  right  angles  to  the  axis  of  the  great  Andean  system, 
which  begins  some  eighty  miles  farther  south.  The  range 
does  not  seem  more  than  thirty  or  forty  miles  in  length.  Of 
course,  such  an  immense  and  lofty  dark  mass  did  not  present 
the  beauty  or  majesty  of  a single  dome,  like  Chimborazo,  or 
a solitary  cone  like  Cotopaxi ; still,  so  thick  were  the  fleecy 
clouds,  far  below  the  summits,  and  so  direct  a view  did  I get 
from  the  sea-level  that,  with  the  surrounding  generally  low 


GENERAL  GUZMAN  BLANCO. 


425 


and  level  expanse  of  country,  tlie  spectacle  was  most  impress- 
ive and  interesting.  Though  several  attempts  have  been 
made  at  different  times,  by  foreigners,  these  peaks  have 
never  been  ascended,  at  least  never  to  their  summits.  As 
we  steamed  on  to  the  west,  the  sea-water  soon  became  very 
muddy,  much  disturbed,  and  covered  with  drift-wood ; and 
we  knew  we  were  at  the  mouth  of  a great  river,  and  that 
that  river  must  be  none  other  than  the  Magdalena.  The 
distant  shores  were  low,  flat,  and  deusely  wooded.  We  had 
reached  the  delta.  The  Magdalena  enters  the  Caribbean  by 
two  arms,  one  about  six  miles  to  the  eastward  of  the  other ; 
and  these,  uniting  some  six  .miles  from  the  sea,  embrace  the 
Island  of  Gomez,  which,  therefore,  bears  to  the  Magdalena  a 
relation  similar  to  that  which  the  great  Island  of  Marajo 
bears  to  the  Amazon.  The  westerly  branch,  or  Magdalena 
proper,  is  about  two  miles  wide,  while  the  eastern  branch  is 
only  about  half  a mile.  But  both  contain  bars  which  are 
subject  to  such  great  and  sudden  changes,  as  to  make  the 
river  there  shallow  and  unnavigable.  Hence  the  produce  of 
the  interior  is  brought  down  only  as  far  as  Barranquilla, 
whence  it  is  transported  by  rail  about  fourteen  miles  to  the 
seaport  of  Salgar.  From  there  it  is  carried  in  lighters  and 
iron  barges,  towed  by  steam-tugs,  and  put  aboard  steamers 
lying  five  miles  distant  in  the  Bay  of  Savanilla.  But  I am 
anticipating  a little. 


CHAPTER  XLYII. 


A WEEK  OK  THE  MAGDALEKA. 

As  we  steamed  on  from  the  months  of  the  river,  the  sea 
became  clearer  and  the  land  gradually  rose  into  ranges  of 
low,  table-topped  hills,  thickly  covered  with  small  trees  and 
scrub.  We  rounded  some  low  islands,  and  then  found  our- 
selves in  a long  bay,  sheltered  somewhat  from  the  swell  and 
waves.  There  were  but  two  steamers  and  a small  ship  at 
anchor,  and  as  we  halted  near  them  no  town  was  in  sight, 
only  on  a distant  bluff  a solitary  old  custom-house,  whose 
white  walls  we  had  seen  from  a long  distance  in  the  offing. 
This  custom-house  was  never  used,  but  it  was  quite  com- 
pleted before  it  occurred  to  the  builders  that  it  would  be  a 
rather  costly,  not  to  say  unnecessary,  proceeding  to  haul 
goods  up  and  then  lower  them  down  the  forty  feet  of  bluff 
on  which  it  stands.  Soon  after  our  anchor  was  down,  a small, 
very  wheezy,  and  dilapidated  tug  came  alongside,  and  took 
passengers  and  baggage  still  farther  up  the  bay,  to  the  little 
village  of  Salgar,  where  the  present  terminus  of  the  railway 
running  to  Barranquilla  is  built.  Landing  on  a long  wooden 
pier,  upon  which  stand  the  freight-cars,  we  first  had  our  bag- 
gage weighed  in  the  station-house,  all  in  excess  of  one  hun- 
dred kilogrammes  having  to  be  paid  for  later  at  the  custom- 
house in  Barranquilla.  There  are  morning  and  afternoon 
trains  to  this  town.  The  road  led  over  the  level,  swampy, 
wooded  delta  land,  where  I noticed  great  numbers  of  many 
kinds  of  pelicans,  cranes,  flamingoes,  and.  other  fishing-birds. 
Arrived  at  Barranquilla,  I was  first  struck  by  a long  row  of 
great  river-boats,  with  their  lofty  double  funnels,  built  ex- 


Magdalena  River  Steamboats. 


A WEEK  OK  TEE  MAGDALENA . 


427 


actly  upon  the  model  of  those  we.  use  upon  the  Mississippi. 
They  were  lying  in  a very  narrow  sort  of  creek,  a part  ok  the 
Magdalena,  whose  main  stream  might  be  seen  in  the  distance, 
rushing  past  with  an  eight-knot  current.  Barranquilla  is  built 
upon  a vast  sandy  plain,  upon  the  western  shore  and  near 
the  junction  of  the  two  arms  of  the  river.  It  is  a town  of 
small,  single-story,  mud- walled,  and  grass-thatched  huts,  and 
contains  about  twenty  thousand  inhabitants.  Mule  hackney- 
coaches  abound,  and  are  extremely  necessary,  owing  not  only 
to  the  obstacles  presented  by  deep  sand,  but  also  to  its  blind- 
ing glare,  which  is  very  trying  to  the  eyes.  I found  a very 
good  hotel,  with  large,  airy  rooms,  and  the  breakfast  ready 
on  a table  set  in  the  interior  corridor  of  the  court.  A num- 
ber of  native  gentlemen  were  chatting  in  the  parlor,  which 
contained  a prim  double  row  of  rocking-chairs,  placed  vis-d- 
vis  in  the  center  of  the  room.  These  Colombians  were  all 
dressed  in  white,  and  the  corner  rack  was  covered  with  their 
enormously  large  and  high,  conical  straw  hats.  These  in  ap- 
pearance would  become  the  conventional  and  not  yet  alto- 
gether traditional  bandit,  but  are  just  the  thing  for  peaceful 
wear  in  tropical  latitudes. 

I made  all  my  preparations,  packed  my  mule-trunks,  and 
left  on  the  afternoon  of  December  3d,  in  one  of  the  large 
mail-steamers  for  Yeguas,  a port  twenty  miles  below  the  town 
of  Honda,  with  which  it  is  connected  by  rail.  Caracoli,  the 
port  of  Honda,  is  six  hundred  and  thirty  miles  from  the  sea, 
and  is  accessible  to  steamers  drawing  as  much  as  four  feet  of 
water.  The  Magdalena  is  navigable  by  canoes  almost  to  its 
source,  nearly  a thousand  miles  from  the  Caribbean.  Honda 
is  from  two  to  four  days’  journey  from  Bogota — on  mule- 
back  and  in  diligence — according  to  the  condition  of  the 
roads  and  the  quality  of  your  animals.  The  steamer  in 
which  I took  passage  was  of  three  decks  or  stories  in 
height,  and  atop  of  all  was  a pilot-house.  Upon  the  main- 
deck,  at  the  forward  end,  are  the  boilers  which  are  of  the 
multiform  tubular  pattern,  and  wood  is  burned  under  them. 
Huge  piles  of  wood  are  made  around  the  boilers,  and  along 


428  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


the  sides  of  the  steamers,  and  at  least  twice  in  each  twenty- 
four  hours  supplies  have  to  be  taken,  so  great  is  the  quantity 
burned.  It  is  piled  up  for  sale,  at  frequent  intervals,  along 
the  river-bank.  As  a counterpoise  to  the  boilers,  the  machin- 
ery is  placed  next  the  wheel,  at  the  stern,  the  intervening 
space  being  used  by  passengers  of  the  second  class,  by  the 
minor  officers,  and  for  the  kitchen,  freight,  and  animals. 
These  steamers  are  steered  by  four  connected  rudders,  which 
move  simultaneously.  The  largest  of  them  carry  about  two 
hundred  and  fifty  tons  of  cargo.  They  are  built  in  England, 
of  iron,  and  are  put  together  in  compartments.  About 
twenty  of  them  are  at  present  on  the  river,  all  in  good  run- 
ning order.  A number  of  companies  formerly  existed,  but 
lately  there  has  been  a fusion  of  interests,  and  all  now  work 
under  one  direction.  Steamers  have  been  running  on  the 
Magdalena  about  half  a century.  A broad  staircase  leads 
from  near  the  prow  to  the  second  deck,  which  is  reserved 
exclusively  for  the  use  of  passengers.  First  there  is  an  open 
space,  employed  as  a sitting-room  during  the  day,  and  which, 
with  curtains  let  down,  and  supplied  with  canvas  cots,  forms 
a spacious  and  cool  dormitory.  Then  come  the  state-rooms, 
numbering  only  ten.  The  saloon  is  gaudily  painted  and  sup- 
plied with  large  mirrors,  tables,  settees,  and  chairs.  The 
state-rooms  contain  only  cots  and  rough  wash-stands.  The 
traveler  must  bring  his  own  bedding  and  mosquito-netting. 
The  customary  bedding  consists  of  a straw  mat,  to  place  first 
upon  the  cot,  a pillow,  a pair  of  sheets,  and  a blanket,  for  the 
late  nights  upon  the  river  are  apt  to  be  chilly.  After  the 
first  two  or  three  nights,  when  the  river  has  become  narrower 
and  shallower,  it  is  customary  to  draw  in  to  the  bank,  and 
remain  fast  until  morning,  and  at  such  times  the  mosquitoes 
are  certain  to  be  very  troublesome.  Hence,  no  native  pas- 
senger ever  forgets  his  mosquito-netting.  Back  of  the  saloon 
and  cabins  is  a large  open  space,  in  which  a long  dining- 
table  is  spread.  This  space  is  also  utilized  at  night  as  a dor- 
mitory, cots  being  provided  for  the  passengers.  An  extra 
charge  of  ten  dollars  is  made  for  the  state-rooms,  and  lady 


A WEEK  OK  THE  MAGDALENA . 


429 


passengers  deferentially  have  first  choice.  Back  of  the  open 
dining-saloon  are  the  pantry  and  stewards’  rooms,  the  bath- 
rooms and  lavatory.  IJpon  the  upper  deck,  the  use  of  which 
is  denied  to  passengers,  are  the  rooms  of  the  captain,  engi- 
neers, and  pilots.  Upon  the  forward  end  of  the  structure, 
containing  these  quarters,  is  the  large,  square,  glass-inclosed 
pilot-house.  The  latter,  being  thus  situated  about  forty  feet 
above  the  river,  affords  a very  extensive  survey  of  its  surface, 
from  which  the  wary  pilots  can  generally  detect  the  neigh- 
borhood and  proximity  of  shoals  or  reefs.  Each  of  the  large 
mail-steamers,  two  of  which  run  each  week  to  Yeguas,  car- 
ries a physician.  This  gentleman  is  a foreigner.  So  are  the 
captain  and  the  chief  engineer  of  many  of  the  steamers,  gen- 
erally either  Englishmen  or  North  Americans. 

We  started  with  a total  of  forty  passengers,  about  equally 
divided  between  the  first  and  second  class.  The  food  sup- 
plied was  of  very  fair  quality,  though  we  were  subjected  to 
a most  unusual  and  unseemly  haste  in  its  serving.  The  plates 
are  never  changed,  but,  as  soon  as  you  are  seated,  three  or  four 
native  boys,  in  shirt  and  trousers,  and  with  bare  feet,  rapidly 
make  the  round  of  the  table  six  or  eight  times,  each  one  plac- 
ing upon  your  plate  a different  kind  of  fish,  flesh,  fowl,  fruit, 
or  vegetable — hot  and  cold,  sweet  and  sour.  Soon  you  have 
such  a heaped-up  hodge-podge  before  you  that  you  can  not 
see  nor  taste  what  you  are  eating.  Coffee  and  bread  and  but- 
ter are  served  at  six  a.  m.  ; breakfast  is  at  eleven,  and  dinner 
at  five  p.  m.  Though  a stampede  ensues  as  soon  as  the  second 
bell  rings,  yet  a good  deal  of  ceremony  is  observed,  such  as  all 
standing  until  the  captain  or  doctor  takes  his  seat,  and  then 
all  sitting  down  simultaneously.  Everybody  appeared  to 
finish  eating  at  precisely  the  same  time,  for  all  rose  together. 
It  is  also  the  custom  of  the  captain  to  hand  to  the  table  two 
of  the  lady  passengers,  and  to  leave  it  with  twTo  others.  But 
the  speed  of  the  serving  and  eating  of  the  meal  would  put  to 
shame  that  witnessed  at  the  station  of  an  American  Western 
railroad  where  twenty  minutes  for  dinner  had  been  an- 
nounced. Although  there  was  plenty  of  time,  most  of  the 


.4-30  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


passengers  having  nothing  to  do  bnt  eat  and  sleep,  yet  the 
average  length  of  onr  dinner  “ hour  ” was  hut  fifteen  minutes. 
The  wine  supplied  by  the  steamer  not  being  of  a very  supe- 
rior mark,  most  of  the  passengers  bring  their  own.  Filtered 
river-water  is  used,  and  it  is  very  palatable  and  wholesome. 

The  Magdalena  River  is  exceedingly  tortuous,  full  of  isl- 
ands, and  has  many  branches  and  side  lakes,  which  enter  it 
through  small  creeks.  Its  very  tortuousness,  however,  makes 
it  navigable,  for  its  declivity  is  very  great,  Honda  being  eight 
hundred  and  sixty-two  feet  above  sea-level.  Many  villages 
and  towns  dot  the  Magdalena,  Mompos  being  the  third  larg- 
est, with  a population  of  about  eight  thousand ; Honda  the 
second,  with  twelve  thousand ; and  Barranquilla  the  first,  with 
twenty  thousand.  The  greater  part  of  the  traffic  of  the  re- 
public is  carried  on  over  the  Magdalena.  We  have  native 
pilots,  who  thoroughly  understand  the  middle  and  upper  por- 
tion of  the  river,  where  the  navigation  is  extremely  difficult. 
The  channels  run  on  one  or  the  other  side,  and  frequently 
cross  from  one  to  the  other,  through  the  resistance  of  some 
obstacle,  or  the  conformation  of  the  banks.  In  the  dry  sea- 
son the  river  usually  hollows  out  a sort  of  special  channel,  in 
which  there  will  be  a general  depth  of  five  or  six  feet,  so  that 
vessels  drawing  four  feet  can  pass  in  safety.  The  rise  of  the 
river  in  the  rainy  season  is  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet.  At 
every  interval  of  five  or  six  years  there  is  an  extra  high  flood, 
as  was  the  case  on  the  occasion  of  my  visit,  when  the  country 
was  under  water  in  every  direction,  and  villages  were  half 
submerged.  Along  the  village  front  you  will  often  see  little 
dikes  of  tree-trunks,  sticks,  and  leaves,  but  these  serve  to  little 
purpose.  Frequently  we  notice  a village  quite  surrounded 
by  water,  and  with  all  its  streets  water-ways,  so  that  there 
must  be  a foot  or  more  of  water  in  the  huts ; but  the  people 
squat  in  the  doorways  and  in  canoes,  waiting  for  the  waters 
to  recede,  and  gazing  calmly  at  the  passing  steamer.  The 
Indians  like  to  live  exactly  upon  the  water’s  edge,  and  this  is 
a principal  cause  of  the  inundations  which  afflict  them  ; for, 
though  much  of  the  land  upon  the  lower  Magdalena  is  low, 


A WEEK  OK  THE  MAGDALEKA. 


431 


jet  there  is  an  occasional  bit  of  higher  ground,  and  here  the 
old  Spaniards,  with  more  discretion  than  their  descendants, 
always  located  their  towns,  secure  from  inundation  or  change 
in  the  course  of  the  river.  The  general  direction  of  the  Mag- 
dalena is  from  north  to  south.  Its  waters  are  very  muddy, 
and  covered  with  small  floating  islands  of  aquatic  plants 
and  drift-wood.  Its  banks,  at  first,  to  one  ascending,  are 
low,  and  covered  with  a scrubby  sort  of  forest,  with  ranges 
of  low  hills  in  the  far  distance,  toward  the  south.  It  has  a 
width  varying  from  one  to  two  miles,  and  contains  many 
large  islands.  We  were  often  able  to  materially  shorten  our 
journey,  by  taking  the  creeks  and  minor  channels  between 
the  islands  and  banks.  The  profusion  of  water-fowl  was 
especially  noticeable ; and  a huge  alligator,  about  twenty  feet 
in  length,  swam  across  the  river  directly  before  the  bow  of 
the  advancing  steamer.  We  stopped  at  one  or  two  places 
during  the  first  night,  and  in  the  morning  reached  the  town 
of  Calamar,  upon  the  west  bank.  This  stands  at  the  mouth 
of  a river,  which,  in  a series  of  creeks  and  lakes,  with  a little 
artificial  opening,  extends  one  hundred  and  ten  miles,  with 
an  average  depth  of  eight  feet,  to  the  Bay  of  Cartagena. 
The  latter  lies  in  a northwesterly  direction,  and  accommodates 
the  flourishing  seaport  of  the  same  name.  A small  steamer 
makes  this  voyage  three  times  each  month,  and,  besides,  there 
are  some  freight-boats,  though  Calamar  is  not  of  so  much 
importance  now  as  when  Santa  Marta  and  Cartagena  were 
the  only  gates  of  entry  on  the  coast,  and  all  the  imports  and 
exports  of  Cartagena  passed  through  it.  Our  steamer 
stopped  an  hour  at  Calamar,  embarking  and  disembarking 
passengers,  and  taking  on  freight  and  fire- wood.  Going  on, 
we  passed  a number  of  villages  whose  inhabitants  are  devoted 
to  fishing,  the  raising  of  cattle,  agriculture,  and  the  making 
of  earthenware. 

We  passed  the  town  of  Teneriffe  on  the  east  bank.  Upon 
a low  hill  is  still  standing  a church  built  by  the  old  Spaniards. 
At  Tacatoe,  on  the  west  bank,  which  we  reached  in  the  even- 
ing, the  single  stream  of  the  Magdalena  becomes  two.  Upon 


432  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


the  northern  one  is  the  largest  town  above  Barranquilla — 
Mompos.  Upon  the  southern  branch  is  Magangue.  For- 
merly the  steamers  took  the  northerly  branch,  but  this  part  of 
the  river,  having  greatly  shoaled  within  the  past  two  years, 
is  now  abandoned  by  the  larger  steamers.  At  -Magangue  an 
annual  mercantile  fair  is  held,  which  was  of  more  importance 
when  fewer  articles  were  imported  into  the  country  from 
Europe  and  the  United  States.  Beyond  Magangue  the  River 
Cauca,  the  largest  branch  of  the  Magdalena,  enters  it.  Here- 
about we  found  the  country  flooded  for  miles  in  every  direc- 
tion. At  a distance  upon  the  left  bank  were  some  high 
peaks  of  the  Andes,  and  nearer  some  beautiful  ranges  of  blue, 
forest-clad  hills.  During  the  afternoon  we  reached  the  town 
of  Banco,  and  found  the  river  once  more  a single  stream. 
The  people  in  this  neighborhood  are  largely  devoted  to  cattle- 
breeding.  Valuable  cabinet  and  dye  woods  abound.  The 
natives  hunt  alligators,  and  use  their  fat  for  house-lights. 
The  Magdalena  is  full  of  eatable  fish,  some  of  them  of  as  heavy 
weight  as  a hundred  pounds.  Their  great  variety  and  quan- 
tity are  one  of  the  principal  reasons  why  so  many  of  the 
natives  dwell  directly  upon  the  river-banks.  They  frequently 
catch  more  than  they  can  dispose  of,  and  then  throw  the 
overplus  back  into  the  river.  With  fish,  yams,  mandioc,  and 
bananas,  they  require  no  other  food.  Fishing  is  also  pursued 
as  a business  by  those  of  the  river-people  dwelling  near  where 
salt  may  be  cheaply  obtained.  They  send  the  fish,  salted,  to 
other  parts  of  the  country.  I have  already  referred  to  the 
great  quantity  of  bird-life  upon  the  river,  but  wild  game, 
dangerous  to  man,  also  lurks  in  the  forests,  not  far  from  the 
banks.  Jaguars,  pumas,  tiger-cats,  poisonous  serpents,  tapirs, 
deer,  water-hogs,  wild-pigs,  are  a few  of  the  denizens;  but 
the  more  domestic  monkeys,  turkeys,  parrots,  and  paroquets 
are  also  found.  At  one  village  jaguar-skins  were  offered  ns 
at  the  moderate  price  of  a dollar  and  a half  each.  The  great 
number  of  towns,  villages,  and  detached  huts  much  surprised 
me.  It  is  said  there  are  not  fewer  than  fifty-five  communi- 
ties between  Barranquilla  and  Yeguas,  most  of  them,  how- 


A WEEK  ON  THE  MAGDALENA. 


433 


ever,  on  the  lower  half  of  the  river.  Two  classes  of  natives 
inhabit  the  country : those  in  the  bank  villages,  and  those  in 
isolated  and  distant  parts.  The  river-people  may  be  called 
more  than  “ semi-civilized.”  In  character  they  are  amiable, 
docile,  peaceable,  and  hospitable.  Crimes  against  person  or 
property  are  all  but  unknown  among  them.  They  are  gen- 
erally clean — at  least  their  bodies,  if  not  their  clothes.  They 
are  intelligent,  considering  their  lack  of  advantages  and  op- 
portunities. Aboriginal  Indians  are  found  beyond  the  east- 
ern banks — between  them  and  the  Cordillera,  about  the  lakes 
and  creeks.  They  are  savage,  and  do  not,  of  course,  speak 
Spanish.  They  will  attack  a solitary  traveler,  but  are  too 
cowardly  to  molest  even  a small  party.  The  are  very  thiev- 
ish. They  are,  however,  never  seen  upon  the  river,  and 
very  little  is  known  of  their  habits  and  usages.  They  gen- 
erally prefer  a wandering  life.  At  Banco  we  drew  in  to  the 
shore,  and  tied  up  by  a chain  to  a tree.  The  people  of  the 
town  came,  in  great  crowds,  down  to  the  bank  to  see  us  and 
to  sell  us  something.  The  men,  in  white  shirts  and  trousers, 
and  great  straw  hats,  formed  one  group  ; the  women  kept  by 
themselves  in  another  spot,  and  looked  very  picturesque  in 
their  white  chemises,  gay-colored  bandannas,  and  neatly 
dressed  hair.  The  women  brought  for  sale  splendid  pine- 
apples, bed-mats,  and  woven  baskets.  The  boys  bore  great 
earthenware  jars,  eggs,  and  turkeys.  As  we  proceed,  the 
forests  seem  to  increase  in  height  and  density,  and  I notice 
many  large  silk-cotton  trees.  But  the  forest  is  greatly  want- 
ing in  representatives  of  the  palm,  orchid,  and  liana  fam- 
ilies, which  add  so  much  to  the  beauty  of  the  forests  of  the 
Amazon  and  the  Orinoco. 

A range  of  the  Andes  on  each  side  of  the  river  is  soon  in 
sight,  that  upon  the  east,  which  forms  a portion  of  the  bound- 
ary between  Colombia  and  Venezuela,  being  bold  and  high, 
with  many  fleecy  clouds  lying  far  below  its  summits.  We 
arrive  at  a small  village,  which  is  the  port  of  a city  named 
Ocana,  forty-two  miles  distant  to  the  eastward.  From  that 
region  are  exported  considerable  quantities  of  coffee,  hides, 
28 


434:  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


sugar,  hempen  sandals,  ropes,  medicinal  herbs,  and  sweets. 
The  river-villages  are  all  of  one  pattern.  The  huts  are  made 
of  bamboo-wattles,  filled  in  with  mud,  and  roofed  with  coarse 
grass.  Great  numbers  of  dug-out  canoes  are  always  seen 
drawn  up  on  the  banks  before  them.  These  canoes,  some  of 
which  are  very  large,  in  going  up-stream  are  pushed  along, 
very  close  to  the  shore,  by  a long  pole,  with  a double-pronged 
fork  at  its  end.  This  method  of  travel  requires  about  thrice 
as  much  time  as  a slow  steamer.  In  going  down  the  river 
the  Indians  simply  take  advantage  of  the  current,  without 
making  use  of  any  sail.  The  river  here  is  about  a mile  in 
width,  and  full  of  enormous  sand-banks,  just  appearing  above 
the  water,  and  upon  which  we  see  groups  of  alligators.  Upon 
one  I counted  a score,  the  largest  of  which  was  over  twenty 
feet  in  length.  On  seeing  the  approaching  steamer  they 
would  either  rise  and  waddle  into  the  river,  or  simply  slide 
off  the  bank.  W e stopped  at  a small  village,  whence  a rail- 
way has  been  undertaken  to  the  city  of  Pamplona,  and  thence 
to  Socorro.  Ultimately  it  is  to  be  extended  to  Tunja,  and  the 
capital — Bogota.  But,  alas ! only  one  mile  of  this  grand 
project  has  been  as  yet  realized.  An  old  locomotive,  under 
a shed,  and  a few  freight-cars  looked  very  forlorn  standing 
near  the  river-bank.  I understood  that  a new  company  had 
just  taken  hold  of  this  work  and  intended  to  complete  a rail- 
way at  least  to  Pamplona  and  Socorro.  ¥e  stopped  one 
night  at  Puerto  Berrio,  on  the  west  bank.  This  is  the  river- 
port  for  the  wealthy  mineral  State  of  Antioquia,  and  gives 
entrance  to  most  of  the  merchandise  for  the  city  of  Medellin, 
which  is  about  due  west  and  nearer  the  Cauca  than  the  Mag- 
dalena Biver.  In  population  and  importance  it  is  the  second 
city  of  Colombia.  From  Puerto  Berrio  begins  a railway, 
which,  it  is  expected,  will  eventually  reach  Medellin.  Thirty 
miles  are  now  opened  to  traffic,  and  the  completed  road  wull 
be  about  a hundred  and  twenty-five  miles  in  length.  The 
present  one  belongs  to  the  Government.  The  river  at  Puerto 
Berrio  is  scarcely  half  a mile  in  width,  but  is  deep,  and  has  a 
very  swift  current.  The  next  day  we  passed  through  what 


A WEEK  OK  THE  MAGDALEKA. 


435 


is  called  “ Angostura,”  or  the  narrows  of  the  river,  not  more 
than  three  hundred  feet  wide  for  a distance  of  about  a quar- 
ter of  a mile.  The  following  morning  we  arrived  at  Yeguas, 
just  seven  days  from  Barranquilla.  At  Yeguas  passengers 
and  freight  are  transferred  to  the  railway  for  Honda.  It  is  a 
narrow-gauge  road,  with  cars  made  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  and 
locomotives  in  Paterson,  N.  J.  It  is  twenty-one  miles  in 
length,  and  runs  one  train  each  way  daily. 


CHAPTER  XLVIII. 


THE  ANDES  AGAIN. 

To  the  right  of  the  railway,  after  starting  from  Yeguas, 
were  many  curiously  formed  hills,  their  sides  being  precipi- 
tous terraces  of  stone,  with  some  verdure  between  the  banks. 
Between  us  and  the  river,  as  we  followed  its  course,  though 
high  above  it,  were  many  fine,  grassy  meadows,  some  of 
them  covered  with  cattle.  To  these  succeeded  forests  con- 
taining a large  proportion  of  palms,  and  then  we  gradually 
descended  and  neared  the  river-bank,  which  we  followed  to 
Honda.  Both  sides  of  the  river  now  showed  high,  forest- 
clad  mountains.  We  crossed  several  tempestuous  torrents. 
The  Magdalena  gradually  narrowed  until,  opposite  Honda,  it 
was  less  than  two  hundred  feet  in  width ; but  here  were 
rapids  almost  as  swift  and  violent  as  those  below  Niagara 
Falls.  The  small  steamers,  which  once  a month  go  fifty  miles 
farther  up  the  river,  do  not  pass  through  these  rapids,  but 
“ tie  up  ” some  distance  above.  Honda  is  situated  upon  the 
steep  bank  of  the  western  side  of  the  river.  Its  streets  are 
narrow,  crooked,  and  roughly  paved.  The  houses  are  mostly 
but  one  story  in  height ; when  blocks  of  them  occur,  upon  a 
street  leading  up  the  hills,  they  are  built  in  terraces.  The 
railway  goes  on  from  Honda,  about  one  mile  to  a settlement 
called  Arran ca  Plumas,  whence  you  must  cross  in  a flat-bot- 
tomed boat  and  go  on  by  land  to  Bogota.  Formerly  a rail- 
way was  undertaken  from  here  toward  Bogota,  but,  after  a 
short  distance,  it  was  abandoned.  Another,  and  a popular 
route  to  the  capital,  if  you  succeed  in  making  connections  at 
Honda,  is  to  take  a smaller  steamer,  up  the  river,  fifty  miles, 


Colombian  Horsemen. 


TEE  ANDES  A GAIN 


437 


to  a place  called  Jirardot.  Tbence  a railway  is  in  course  of 
construction  to  Bogota,  about  twenty  miles  of  its  track  hav- 
ing been  already  built  and  in  running  order.  On  December 
12th  I left  on  mule-back  for  Bogota,  with  a mounted  guide, 
and  an  extra  mule  for  my  baggage,  first  following  the  left 
bank  of  the  Magdalena  to  Arranca  Plumas.  Here  we  crossed 
the  river  by  means  of  a pedulum-boat— a large  barge  attached, 
by  a wire  cable,  to  a pulley  running  upon  another  cable  ex- 
tending across  the  river.  The  passage  is  made  simply  by  the 
force  of  the  central  current  and  its  back  water,  which  is  suf- 
ficient to  carry  the  boat  from  side  to  side  without  any  steer- 
ing. The  mount  of  a Colombian  gentleman  is  but  little 
different  from  that  of  other  South  Americans.  Mules  are 
preferred  for  steep  mountain  travel,  though  horses  are  in 
greater  favor  for  plain,  valley,  and  city  use.  Here,  in  Colom- 
bia, the  men  wear  wide-brimmed,  steeple-crowned  straw 
hats,  blu e ponchos,  or  ruanos , as  they  are  called,  generally  of 
a water-proof  dark  cloth,  and  huge  water-proof  leather  over- 
alls, which  buckle  around  the  waist,  but  are  seatless.  These 
are  made  longer  than  the  legs,  and  thus  keep  the  feet  dry. 
A slit  up  the  back  of  the  leg,  secured  by  a small  strap,  is 
made  for  the  passage  of  the  spur.  The  shank  of  the  spurs  is 
often  four  inches  in  length,  with  rowels  quite  three  inches 
in  diameter.  The  stirrups  are  made  of  brass,  in  the  shape  of 
a large  Turkish  slipper.  The  saddles  are  supplied  with  small 
leather  saddle-bags,  and  a leather  case  for  a blanket,  or  rub- 
ber 'poncho . Y ery  stout  cruppers  and  breeching  are  necessi- 
tated by  the  steep  mountains. 

The  place  opposite  Arranca  Plumas  was  called  Pesca- 
derias.  We  followed  the  river  for  a considerable  distance, 

* but  so  bad  was  the  road,  from  the  recent  heavy  rains,  that 
we  were  the  whole  day  reaching  Guaduas,  but,  fifteen  miles 
distant,  stopping  only  an  hour  to  breakfast  at  one  of  the 
many  wayside  inns.  The  walls  of  the  public-room  of  this 
house  were  ornamented  with  pictures  from  the  London 
“ Graphic”  and  the  Hew  York  “Puck.”  Every  one  of  the 
road-side  inns  has  a well-filled  bar-room  attached,  where,  as 


438  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


per  advertisement,  “ superior  brandy,  wholesale  and  retail,” 
is  sold,  and  also  the  native  beer,  chicha , great  calabashes  of 
which  are  in  frequent  request  by  the  muleteers.  The  inns 
are  simply  mud  huts,  with  thatched  roofs.  They  contain 
two  or  three  bedrooms  and  a sitting-room,  where  not  very 
good  meals  are  prepared  at  very  short  notice.  The  country 
through  which  we  passed  was  not  thickly  settled,  and  was 
covered  mostly  with  timber.  Guaduas  is  a large  town,  situ- 
ated in  a beautiful  valley.  We  left  it  the  next  morning  at 
daylight,  and  rode  slowly  up  a steep  range  of  mountains  to 
the  eastward.  The  road  was  paved  with  great  stones  in  the 
steepest  inclines,  and  wound  altogether  too  abruptly  up- 
ward for  the  comfort  of  either  man  or  beast.  On  each  side 
of  the  pavement,  which  was  often  of  the  nature  of  a cause- 
way, there  was  a morass,- and  frequently  the  trail  was  simply 
a great  stone  staircase,  up  which  the  mules  slowly  climbed 
with  many  slips  and  frequent  groans.  Our  baggage-mules 
often  would  lie  down  in  the  bogs,  quite  exhausted.  How- 
ever, we  kept  plodding  along  over  a very  rocky  and  muddy 
road,  up  one  hill  and  down  another,  until  we  reached,  in  the 
afternoon,  the  summit  of  a range  of  mountains  about  five 
thousand  feet  above  sea-level.  From  here  we  went  down, 
far  down,  to  the  valley,  in  which  is  situated  the  town  of  Yil- 
leta,  some  twelve  miles  from  Guaduas.  It  rained  hard  most 
of  the  day,  but,  at  intervals  of  clearing,  we  had  splendid 
views  of  the  green  hills  and  beautiful  dales,  which  were 
* everywhere  carefully  cultivated,  though  sparsely  inhabited. 
Corn  and  sugar-cane  abounded,  and  much  of  these  were 
grown  upon  the  almost  vertical  sides  of  the  hills.  Yilleta 
was  like  Guaduas  on  a slightly  reduced  scale.  It  rained  hard 
all  night,  and  in  the  morning  I preferred  to  take  to  the  road, 
rather  than  loiter  in  a dull  inn.  The  trail  became  worse, 
and  our  utmost  speed  was  about  a mile  and  a half  an  hour.  At 
night  we  had  only  reached  a place  called  Agua  Larga,  whence 
there  is  a very  fine  view  to  the  westward,  over  intervening 
valleys  and  ridges,  beyond  the  Magdalena  Fiver  (which  was 
not  in  sight),  past  several  ranges  on  the  other  side.  The 


THE  ANDES  AGAIN. 


439 


view  extended  to  the  snowy  range  of  the  Andes,  with  sev- 
eral table-topped  mountains — Buiz  among  them — southward 
to  the  great  cone  of  Tolima,  eighteen  thousand  feet  in  height, 
and  looking  a perfect  presentment  of  the  world-famous  Coto- 
paxi, a few  hundred  miles  distant,  in  the  same  chain  of  gigan- 
tic mountains.  Among  many  mountain  views,  obtained  all 
over  the  globe,  I must  regard  that  from  Agua  Larga  as  espe- 
cially magnificent.  The  valleys,  at  the  time,  late  in  the 
afternoon,  were  mostly  filled  with  fleecy  clouds,  which  rose 
against  the  sides  of  the  ranges,  and  made  their  tops  appear 
like  green  islands  in  a sea  of  milky  foam.  There,  in  the  far 
distance,  were  the  sub-ranges  of  the  Andes,  dark  blue  in  tint, 
and  above  and  beyond  them  the  giant  domes  and  peaks 
covered  with  snow — calm,  majestic,  beautiful.  In  the  morn- 
ing I left  Agua  Larga  for  the  town  of  Facatativa,  from  which 
I expected  to  take  a diligence  to  Bogota.  In  fact,  the  road 
from  here  on  might  have  been  used  by  carriages,  being  broad 
and  macadamized,  and  not  of  very  steep  grade.  This  was 
my  fourth  day  upon  it.  The  ride  is,  as  I have  said,  made  in 
from  two  to  four  days,  there  being  but  forty-six  miles  of 
mule-back  and  twenty-one  of  carriage,  thus  making  a total 
of  but  sixty-seven  miles  from  Honda,  which  lies  northwest 
of  Bogota.  Of  the  four  or  five  mountain-ridges  which  I had 
crossed  on  this  journey,  one  was  sixty-five  hundred  feet 
above  sea-level.  Facatativa  is  eighteen  miles  distant  from 
Villeta.  It  is  a large  and  busy  town.  Steam  thrashing  and 
grinding  machines  are  in  use,  and  the  flour  manufactured  is 
of  very  fair  quality.  At  the  time  of  my  visit,  it  being 
market-day,  the  streets  were  crowded  with*  people,  carts, 
mules,  and  horses.  The  Grand  Plaza  also  was  a dense  mass 
of  humanity,  and  the  appearance  of  the  populace — the  men 
with  dark-blue  ruanos  and  black-banded  sombreros , and  the 
women  dressed  in  black — was  most  funereal.  Omnibuses,  ex- 
actly like  those  formerly  plying  upon  Broadway,  Hew  York, 
run  each  day  between  Facatativa  and  the  capital.  They  carry 
no  baggage,  save  saddles  and  hand-bags.  Missing  the  coach, 
I engaged,  instead,  a covered  carriage  with  a pair  of  horses. 


440  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


The  road  between  Facatativa  and  Bogota  is  very  broad, 
and  was  once  macadamized,  bnt  is  now  in  bad  condition,  full 
of  holes  and  quagmires.  Pack-mules  at  present  give  place 
to  ox-carts.  The  road  was  frequently  bordered  by  willow  and 
eucalyptus  trees.  The  great  plain,  or  savanna,  of  Bogota  is 
very  level,  almost  devoid  of  trees,  but  exceedingly  fertile  and 
well  adapted  for  agricultural  purposes,  to  which  it  is  every- 
where devoted.  It  is  surrounded  by  mountains,  and  extends 
from  north  to  south  a distance  of  about  sixty  miles,  and  from 
east  to  west  about  thirty  miles.  As  upon  the  plain  of  Quito, 
so  upon  the  plain  of  Bogota,  agriculture  flourishes,  wheat, 
barley,  and  potatoes  being  largely  grown.  The  pasturage  is 
extensive  and  of  excellent  quality.  Many  cattle  are  raised, 
and  their  breed,  as  well  as  that  of  horses,  sheep,  and  pigs,  is 
of  a high  grade.  While  yet  many  miles  off,  we  could  see 
the  cathedral  and  larger  buildings  of  Bogota,  that  city  lying 
upon  the  eastern  edge  of  the  great  plain  or  valley  at  the  foot, 
and  extending  partially  up  the  sides  of  two  hills,  called  Gua- 
dalupe and  Monseratte.  These  are  on  the  western  side  of 
the  Cordillera — that  is,  of  the  most  easterly  of  the  great 
ridges  of  the  Andes  which  extend  through  Colombia  from 
north  to  south.  The  city  is  built  upon  such  gradually  in- 
clined ground,  that  it  does  not  appear  to  good  advantage 
from  the  plain.  Its  elevation  above  the  sea  is  8,665  feet ; 
consequently,  though  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  fifth  degree 
of  north  latitude,  it  is  quite  cool.  The  mean  temperature  of 
Honda  is  95°,  while  that  of  Bogota  is  but  58° — a difference 
of  37°,  which  we  felt  very  perceptibly.  The  situation  of 
Bogota  is  probably  as  isolated  and  as  difficult  of  access  as 
that  of  any  capital  of  like  population  in  the  world.  I was 
twelve  days  on  the  route  from  the  sea-coast,  and  traveled  a 
total  distance  of  seven  hundred  and  five  miles.  Though 
apart  from  the  world,  Bogota  is  yet  able  to  have  news  of  it. 
We  followed  two  telegraph-wires  from  Honda.  The  capital 
is  not  only  in  communication  with  other  parts  of  Colombia, 
and  with  Venezuela,  but  with  North  America,  and  thence  to 
Europe,  by  a wire  which  runs  a little  south  of  west  to  the 


TEE  ANDES  AGAIN 


m 


only  seaport  of  the  country  situated  on  the  Pacific — namely, 
Buenaventura — whence  a cable  extends  to  Panama  and  ISTew 
York.  In  a pouring  rain  we  drove  through  the  narrow, 
rough-paved  streets,  flowing  with  rivers  of  water,  to  about 
the  center  of  the  city,  where  we  found  what  was  styled  the 
“ best  hotel.”  If  so,  Heaven  help  those  who  are  compelled 
to  live  at  the  others ! though  a respect  for  truth  compels  me 
to  admit  that  our  table  was  good.  My  room,  however,  was 
small,  dark,  damp  (being  several  feet  below  the  level  of  the 
street),  full  of  flies  and  fleas,  and  abounding  with  mice.  My 
bed  was  as  soft  as  the  marble  of  a dissecting-table.  For  my 
meals  it  was  necessary  to  cross  the  street,  and  pass  through  a 
grocery-store  and  part  of  a court-yard,  to  rooms  just  about  the 
size  of  the  small  tables.  A solitary  door  was  the  only  means 
of  admitting  either  light  or  air ; so  it  had  to  remain  open  at 
night  as  well  as  day.  In  going  to  Bogota  we  met  scarcely 
any  one  traveling,  and  but  comparatively  little  merchandise 
in  transit.  When  the  roads  are  especially  bad,  all  travel  not 
absolutely  necessary  is  intermitted.  The  Indians  I met  were 
stalwart  men,  and  some  of  the  younger  of  the  women  were 
quite  good-looking.  I was  surprised,  however,  at  the  num- 
ber of  middle-aged  and  old  women  afflicted  with  the  goitre. 
It  is  said  the  Colombian  Government  expends  over  a hun- 
dred thousand  dollars  a year  upon  the  mule-road  to  Honda. 
It  would  not  cost  more  to  keep  a railway  in  order,  and  it  is 
of  the  very  first  necessity  for  the  development  of  the  coun- 
try that  such  a railway  should  be  immediately  constructed. 
I have,  however,  small  hopes  that  it  will  ever  be  built.  The 
whole  genius  of  the  nation  seems  directed  toward  civil  dis- 
sension and  guerrilla  warfare.  Hence,  while  the  people  com- 
plain of  poverty,  they  offer  so  little  guarantee  and  security  to 
foreign  life  and  capital  as  to  be  quite  unable  to  secure  the 
presence  and  help  of  either. 

It  was  December,  and  the  coldest  month  of  the  twelve  in 
Bogota — a peculiar,  damp,  penetrating  cold,  which  requires 
one’s  heaviest  winter  clothes  by  day  and  three  or  four  blan- 
kets at  night.  The  native  gentlemen  all  wear  black  over- 


442  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA 


coats,  or  long  dark-bine  cloaks,  with  short  capes,  like  those  in 
fashion  at  Quito — this  “conspirator  style”  seeming  to  he, 
and  properly,  in  most  favor  at  night.  Long  black  frock-coats 
are  fashionable  here,  and,  in  fact,  the  whole  suit  is  generally 
of  black  cloth.  Tall  silk  hats  are  also  the  mode,  and,  with 
the  primitive  surroundings,  look  almost  as  ridiculous  as  they 
did  in  Quito.  The  citizens  need  only  black  kid  gloves — 
which  they  really  wear  in  Quito — to  complete  a most  somber 
aspect.  The  dress  of  the  women,  who  may  be  seen  early  in 
the  morning  in  attendance  at  church,  is  also  all  of  black,  as 
with  those  of  Lima.  They  wear  the  mantilla  of  black  cash- 
mere,  heavily  edged  with  black  lace,  and  embroidered  with 
black  silk,  around  the  shoulders  and  neck,  and  partly  around 
the  head.  The  dresses  are  worn  short,  and  beneath  them 
you  may  generally  detect  the  presence  of  black  stockings  and 
little  black  silk  slippers,  or  black  kid  boots.  The  ladies  carry 
black  parasols,  and  on  Sundays  little  black  prayer-books. 
They  resemble  their  sisters  of  Quito  and  Lima,  and  some  of 
them  are  exceedingly  pretty. 

The  city  of  Bogota  lies  upon  such  comparatively  level 
ground,  and  so  few  are  the  large  and  prominent  buildings,  that 
when  approaching  it  from  the  westward  you  notice  only  three 
or  four  distinct  points,  and  one  of  these,  away  to  the  north- 
east, you  are  apt  to  imagine  to  be  a lofty  column  in  memory 
of — say,  the  great  Bolivar.  With  its  high  shaft  and  circular, 
two-storied,  Pantheon-like  base,  you  have  a very  good  copy  of 
the  Washington  Monument  (at  Washington,  District  of  Colum- 
bia), as  originally  planned,  though  not  as  finally  completed. 
But  you  are  thoroughly  disillusioned  on  learning  that  the 
supposed  patriotic  tribute  is  only  a manufactory  of  bricks, 
with  its  accompanying  and  very  necessary  chimney.  Then, 
toward  the  center  of  the  city,  you  see  the  great  broad  facade 
of  the  cathedral,  with  its  twin  towers,  and  to  the  right  of  this, 
again,  the  walls  of  the  Capitol  building,  and  beyond,  the 
white-sided  and  red-topped  dome  of  the  church  of  San  Carlos. 
Directly  back  of  the  city  rise  the  precipitous  bills  of  Mon- 
seratte  and  Guadalupe,  the  former  about  fifteen  hundred 


THE  ANDES  AGAIN 


443 


and  the  latter  eighteen  hundred  feet  in  height  above  the 
plane  of  the  Grand  Plaza.  These  mountains  are  rocky  and 
treeless,  though  covered  in  parts  with  short  grass.  On  their 
summits  are  little  chapels,  the  one  dedicated  to  Our  Lord  of 
Monseratte,  the  other  to  Our  Lady  of  Guadalupe.  Pilgrim- 
ages up  steep  mountain-paths  are  made  to  these  on  special 
feast-days.  Between  the  two  hills  is  a valley  trending  toward 
the  east.  Down  it  flows  a mountain  torrent  styled  the  Rio 
San  Francisco.  Farther  to  the  south  is  a second  break  in  the 
range,  and  down  this  narrow,  precipituous  valley  rushes 
another  brawling  brook,  the  Rio  San  Augustine.  These  two 
streams,  after  flowing  directly  through  the  city,  where  they 
are  crossed  by  innumerable  bridges,  join  their  waters,  and 
then  run  off  to  the  southwest,  where  they  join  the  Bogota 
River.  In  the  course  of  that  river,  which  gradually  makes 
its  way  to  the  Magdalena,  are  the  celebrated  falls  of  Te- 
quendama,  which  I afterward  visited. 

In  about  the  center  of  the  city  is  the  Grand  Plaza — the 
great  square  of  the  Constitution.  It  is  a large  space,  paved 
with  blocks  of  stone,  now  somewhat  overgrown  with  grass, 
and  containing  in  its  center  a small  park  of  shrubs  and  flow- 
ers, but  no  trees  save  a few  stunted  evergreens.  In  the  mid- 
dle of  this  miserable  little  garden  is  a handsome  bronze 
monument  of  Bolivar,  raised  upon  a marble  pedestal.  Upon 
the  eastern  side  of  this  square  stands  the  cathedral  and  its 
sacristy,  approached  by  a wide  stone-paved  terrace.  On  the 
southern  side  is  the  large  building  of  the  national  Capitol,  not 
yet  completed.  On  the  western  side  is  a block  of  stores, 
three  stories  in  height,  the  sidewalks  passing  in  front  of  and 
under  the  lower  story,  in  the  form  of  an  arcade.  And  on 
the  northern  side  are  more  shops.  But,  before,  proceeding  to 
describe  public  or  private  buildings  in  detail,  I ought  to  say 
something  of  the  general  appearance  and  character  of  the 
city.  The  houses  are  mostly  built  of  mud,  and  but  one  story 
in  height.  They  have  huge  iron  gratings  to  those  windows 
facing  the  streets.  In  the  business  part  of  the  city  the  build- 
ings are  of  brick  and  stucco,  two  stories  in  height  and  some- 


444:  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

times  three.  They  are  apt  to  have  picturesque  little  balco- 
nies to  their  upper  windows,  but  nowhere  is  any  special  archi- 
tectural taste  displayed,  and  this  remark  will  apply  to  public 
as  well  as  to  private  edifices.  An  interesting  effect  is, 
however,  produced  by  the  great  diversity  of  house-fronts. 
The  better  class  of  residences  have  no  especial  quarter.  They 
are  scattered  here  and  there,  the  best  often  being  found  in 
the  meanest  and  dirtiest  parts  of  the  city.  Some  of  the  finest 
stores  and  dwelling-houses  have  the  first  story  of  cut  yel- 
low stone  and  the  upper  one  of  brick.  The  principal  busi- 
ness streets  are  the  two  running  parallel  north  from  the  east 
and  west  sides  of  the  Grand  Plaza,  and  all  the  retail  trade 
seems  here  to  be  concentrated  within  half  a dozen  blocks. 
In  this  neighborhood  you  find  the  banks  and  the  post,  tele- 
graph, and  telephone  offices.  The  shops  are  mostly  small  and 
dark,  being  lighted  only  by  the  open  doors,  and  therefore  you 
are  not  surprised  to  find  the  counters  placed  within  a few 
feet  of  the  street.  The  post-office  is  situated  in  an  old  con- 
vent. The  Bank  of  Colombia  has  a handsome  columned 
front.  Near  by  is  the  building  of  the  American  legation, 
our  country  being  represented  by  an  envoy  extraordinary 
and  minister  plenipotentiary.  Bogota  has  no  carts  or  car- 
riages. The  streets  are  far  too  narrow  and  too  badly  paved  to 
admit  them.  Carriages  coming  from  Facatativa  proceed  only 
to  some  of  the  exterior  squares,  where  you  must  descend  and 
proceed  on  foot  to  your  hotel  or  dwelling.  Your  baggage 
and,  in  fact,  all  goods  for  Bogota,  are  obliged  to  halt  quite  at 
the  limits  of  the  city,  and  be  brought  in  either  on  mule-back 
or  by  porters  upon  trestles.  Horsemen  are,  however,  allowed 
in  all  the  streets,  though  they  may  be  said  to  be  “ con- 
spicuous by  their  absence.”  A few  sedan-chairs,  with  box- 
covers,  are  in  use  for  conveying  ladies  to  fashionable  recep- 
tions, or  to  and  from  balls  at  night.  You  find  gas  in  the 
more  wealthy  of  the  private  houses,  but  the  streets  are  not  as 
yet  lighted  by  that  means.  In  fact,  the  city  is  very  badly 
and  dangerously  half  illuminated  by  kerosene-lamps  sus- 
pended by  hide  ropes  from  houses  at  the  intersection  of  the 


A Business  Street  of  Bogota. 


TEE  ANDES  AGAIN. 


445 


streets.  There  is  bat  one  line  of  tramway.  The  cars,  start- 
ing at  the  cathedral,  ran  in  a northerly  direction  throngh  the 
city  and  suburbs,  and  beyond  along  the  base  of  the  hills, 
abont  three  miles,  to  a little  village  called  Chapinero.  This 
line  is  owned  by  an  American  company,  the  cars  were  made 
in  Philadelphia,  and  mules  are  used  to  draw  them.  This 
tramway  is  a very  great  success,  and  it  is  a pity  there  are  not 
others  in  the  city,  and  one  also  across  the  plain  to  Facatativa, 
should  a railway  not  be  built.  Chapinero  is  a sort  of  pleas- 
ure-ground for  the  citizens  of  Bogota,  and  on  Sundays  and 
feast-days  the  cars  are  sure  to  be  crowded,  and  the  road 
alongside  to  be  gay  with  native  gentlemen  on  horseback. 
These  people,  like  those  of  Quito,  are  extremely  fond  of  rid- 
ing spirited  horses.  The  latter  have  an  easy  gait — generally 
a pace — and  consequently  do  not  require  very  special  arts  of 
horsemanship.  The  ease  of  the  riders,  therefore,  is  not  as 
difficult  of  explanation,  as  if  more  skill  were  required.  At 
Chapinero,  besides  very  many  restaurants  and  drinking-places 
of  various  grades,  a race-course,  a small  theatre,  and  some 
good  baths  are  found. 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 


SANTA  FE  DE  BOGOTA. 

Bogota  possesses  a mint.  It  is  a very  plain  edifice  ex- 
teriorly, as  indeed  are  almost  all  the  public  buildings  of 
the  city,  but  it  is  fairly  well  supplied  with  smelting  and 
milling  apparatus.  Before  the  last  revolution  it  was  in 
operation  under  English  supervision,  and  engaged  in  coining 
silver  pieces  of  the  value  of  fifty  cents,  and  copper  ones  of 
two  and  a half  cents  in  value.  At  present  no  work  is  in 
progress.  In  fact,  you  see  but  few  coins  in  circulation,  save 
five-cent  pieces  in  nickel,  and  two-and-a-half-cent  pieces  in 
copper.  There  are,  however,  many  small  paper  bills,  of  the 
value  each  of  twenty  and  ten  cents,  also  of  one  dollar, 
some  of  these  being  made  in  Bogota,  but  the  better  class 
of  them  by  the  American  Bank  Xote  Company,  of  Hew 
York.  The  paper  currency  is  at  present  only  worth  sixty 
cents  on  a dollar.  Change  is  so  scarce  that  five  per  cent  is 
charged  for  any  amount  above  twenty  dollars  by  the  shop- 
keepers, while  the  banks  prefer  not  to  give  any,  even  upon 
these  terms. 

There  are  only  two  or  three  churches,  besides  the  cathe- 
dral, of  any  very  special  interest.  The  cathedral  is  large  and 
lofty,  with  a fagade  of  yellow  stone,  cut  from  the  neighbor- 
ing hills,  but  its  towers  are  of  brick  and  stucco.  Its  interior 
is  very  plain.  The  church  of  San  Francisco  has  a very  re- 
markable high  altar,  or  rather  it  is  the  ceiling  and  walls  of 
that  part  of  the  church  about  the  high  altar  which  are  inter- 
esting. The  amount  of  carving  and  gilding  is  quite  surpris- 
ing. The  whole  wall  is  divided  into  great  oblong  sections, 


SANTA  FE  DE  BOGOTA. 


447 


which  make  frames  for  many  large  figures  of  plaster  in  high 
relief  and  brightly  colored.  The  church  called  La  Tercera  is 
notable  from  the  amount  of  carved  wood-work,  a dark-colored 
cedar,  which  it  contains.  All  parts  of  the  altar  and  pulpit, 
the  doors,  gallery,  organ-case,  the  frames  of  the  pictures, 
and  the  confession-boxes,  are  carved  from  this  rich  wood. 

The  national  Capitol  is  situated,  as  I have  said,  upon  the 
sonth  side  of  the  Plaza  de  la  Constitucion.  It  is  a large, 
massive  edifice,  of  two  stories,  with  a fagade  of  yellow  stone, 
and  in  the  center  a donble  row  of  great  stone  columns, 
through  which  you  look  into  a small  court-yard  containing  a 
good  bronze  statue  of  a worthy  Colombian  soldier — General 
Mosquera.  More  than  a million  dollars  have  been  spent 
upon  this  building,  which  extends  the  full  front  of  the  block, 
and  more  than  one  half  its  depth.  The  rear  half  it  was  in- 
tended to  devote  to  a grand  residence  for  the  President,  but 
this  plan  has,  as  yet,  been  realized  to  the  extent  only  of  a 
few  feet  of  basement.  The  Capitol  will  be  approached  by  a 
great  flight  of  stone  stairs,  but  on  the  whole  it  is  rather  a 
gloomy  pile,  and  is  still  far  from  completion.  It  contains  the 
Senate  and  House  of  Representatives,  the  offices  of  the  Presi- 
dent and  of  the  Secretaries  of  the  various  departments  of  the 
Government.  At  present  there  is  but  one  House,  consisting 
of  two  delegates  from  each  of  the  nine  States  of  the  repub- 
lic. I attended  one  of  its  sessions,  and  found  the  delegates 
busy  in  forming  a new  Constitution  and  reorganizing  the 
Government.  Notwithstanding  the  late  disastrous  revolu- 
tion, people  were  openly  saying  that  political  matters  were 
not  satisfactory,  that  another  revolution  was  imminent.  And 
thus  it  goes  with  Colombia,  as  with  most  of  the  other  South 
American  states.  Revolution  succeeds  revolution,  business 
is  paralyzed,  the  countries  are  impoverished,  and  society  is 
disorganized.  Said  a native  gentleman  to  me  one  day,  “We 
have  here  a population  of  about  a hundred  thousand — ninety- 
five  thousand  of  whom  do  no  work,  but  live  upon  the 
others ! ” 

During  my  stay  in  Bogota  the  School  of  Fine  Arts, 


448  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


which  is  domiciled  in  a barn-like  old  building,  in  one  of  the 
streets  next  the  Capitol,  gave  a “first  annual  exposition.” 
Besides  the  various  rooms  of  the  school,  the  National  Gallery 
(to  bestow  a high-sounding  name)  was  thrown  open  to  the 
public,  at  fifty  cents  admission.  The  work  of  the  students 
in  the  departments  of  modeling,  crayoning,  and  draughting 
was  really  meritorious.  But  of  the  remainder  of  the  “ expo- 
sition ” I hardly  know  what  to  say.  An  enormous  number 
of  paintings  of  all  sizes,  schools,  and  ages,  good,  bad,  and  in- 
different, were  huddled  indiscriminately  together  in  two  or 
three  long  corridors  of  what  seemed  to  be  an  old  convent. 
Many  were  by  native  artists  and  possessed  considerable  merit, 
but  the  majority  were  copies  and  not  original  work,  as  was 
to  have  been  wished.  As  is  usual  throughout  South  Amer- 
ica, in  all  governmental  or  public  exhibitions,  the  military 
made  a great  display  about  the  entrance  and  through  the 
galleries.  An  entire  regimental  company  was  present. 
They  were,  like  the  greater  part  of  the  Colombian  army, 
mere  boys,  and  so  small  that  the  bayonet-tipped  muskets, 
which  they  bore  with  them  throughout  the  building,  were 
generally  about  one  third  taller  than  themselves.  The  boys, 
though  gayly  uniformed,  wore  hempen  sandals,  into  which 
their  bare  brown  feet  were  thrust.  All  about  the  Capitol- 
entrance,  during  the  day,  you  might  notice  a great  many 
officers  loitering,  and  chatting  with  passing  friends.  They 
were  arrayed  in  the  most  butterfly  style  of  uniforms — red 
trousers  with  heavy  gold  stripe,  red  caps  very  richly  em- 
broidered with  gold  lace,  and  long,  gold-fringed  epaulets. 
You  must  not  be  at  all  surprised  at  the  large  number  of 
officers  you  meet  in  the  streets  wearing  epaulets  with  three 
stars,  for  Colombia  is  the  paradise  of  generals.  The  rank 
and  file  of  the  army,  and  its  totality  of  officers,  number  about 
the  same  There  are  actually  2, 144  commissioned  officers  to 
3,000  privater  soldiers.  There  are  seven  marshals — general 
en  jefe , considering  the  other  generals,  must  be  the  equal  of, 
say,  a grand  marshal  of  Trance — 106  generals,  167  colonels, 
and  492  captains.  Thus,  in  the  Colombian  army,  one  may 


SANTA  FE  BE  BOGOTA. 


449 


compute,  in  round  numbers,  a general  to  every  thirty  men,  a 
colonel  to  every  eighteen  men,  and  a captain  to  every  six 
men ! This  seems  odd  and  humorous  enough,  though  the 
Republic  of  Liberia  surpasses  even  this  in  military  absurdity, 
for  its  army  consists  of  one  battalion  numbering  41T  men,  of 
whom  388  are  officers ! The  President’s  body-guard  num- 
bers nineteen,  of  whom  seventeen  are  officers.  Moreover, 
in  some  of  the  counties  there  are  not  enough  citizens  to  hold 
the  offices,  but  in  the  others  there  are  just  enough  to  go 
round. 

The  Rational  Museum  and  the  Rational  Library  are  lo- 
cated in  the  same  building.  The  museum  is  very  small,  and 
consists  of  a corridor  of  inferior  portraits  of  the  old  viceroys 
and  men  famous  in  the  politics  of  the  country,  and  a long, 
narrow  room  filled  with  an  exceedingly  miscellaneous  collec- 
tion of  historical  curiosities,  of  native  timbers,  of  zoology 
and  mineralogy,  of  Indian  earthenware,  antiquities,  and 
numismatics.  Rothing  is  of  any  absorbing  moment,  and  it 
must  be  said  that  such  a museum  is  of  but  little  credit  to  the 
metropolis  of  a nation.  The  library  I found  much  more 
interesting.  It  contains  about  seventy  thousand  volumes,  in 
all  languages  and  upon  all  subjects.  It  is  classified  first  by 
language,  and  second  by  subject.  In  one  department,  how- 
ever, are  kept  the  books  on  South  America,  in  all  languages, 
and  about  ten  thousand  in  number.  There  are  some  fifteen 
hundred  volumes  on  Colombia  alone.  The  rooms  are  long 
and  narrow,  but  with  clear  light  and  commodious  shelving. 
This  library  is  intended  only  for  consultation,  and  contains 
a reading-room,  which  I found  well  filled  with  students. 
Rear  the  center  of  the  city  is  an  astronomical  observatory, 
probably  the  highest  above  sea-level  of  any  in  the  world. 
The  building,  of  brick  and  stucco,  has  a lofty  spire,  which 
gives  it  much  the  appearance  of  an  old  church.  It  is  fur- 
nished with  a number  of  instruments,  none  of  them  of  very 
high  quality  or  in  very  good  condition.  At  present  no  astro- 
nomical work  is  in  progress.  A new  opera-house,  to  cost  three 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  is  nearly  completed.  Formerly  a 
29 


450  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


great  number  of  newspapers  were  published  in  Bogota,  but 
some  in  opposition  to  the  Government  have  been  suppressed, 
and  now  there  remain  but  four  or  five,  of  which  the  more 
prominent  are  tri-weekly  and  a small  evening  daily.  These, 
of  course,  are  not  permitted  to  adversely  criticise  the  Gov- 
ernment, and  in  Barranquilla  and  other  parts  of  the  country 
the  press  is  also  thus  muzzled.  To  show  the  intolerance  of 
the  Government  in  this  connection,  there  is  a printed  notice 
posted  in  a conspicuous  place  on  the  Magdalena  boats,  to  the 
effect  that  no  employe  is  allowed  to  discuss  the  politics  of  the 
country  while  on  service,  the  penalty  to  be  immediate  dis- 
missal as  soon  as  the  offense  is  proved.  This  edict,  though 
signed  by  the  steamer  agents,  was  made  under  official  press- 
ure. There  are  but  few  telegrams  in  the  Colombian  papers, 
and  but  little  (even  of  old)  news  from  the  rest  of  the  world, 
so  the  editors  have  to  resort  to  the  easy-going  method  of  in- 
serting, on  the  lower  third  of  some  of  their  pages,  a folletin, 
, or  serial  story,  which  is  generally  a poor  Spanish  translation 
of  some  popular  though  often  very  aged  French  novel.  A 
bulletin  of  the  day  is  generally  published ; and,  besides  such 
important  matters  as  the  arrival  and  departure  of  the  mails, 
and  the  names  of  the  saints  allotted  to  each  day,  the  special 
drug-store  which  is  to  be  kept  open  that  night  is  invariably 
mentioned.  The  leading  newspaper  of  Colombia,  published 
at  Bogota,  is  called  “ Ba  FTacion,”  with  the  sub-explanation 
that  it  is  a “ political,  literary,  and  news  periodical,  the  organ 
of  the  principles  of  the  regeneration.”  By-the-by,  a “ regen- 
eration ” of  some  sort  or  other  is  always  in  progress  in  South 
America.  The  evening  paper  is  styled  “El  Telegrama,” 
though  it  never  contains  any  telegraphic  news. 

While  at  Bogota  I paid  a visit  to  the  Tequendama  Falls, 
among  the  finest  in  South  America  and  most  famous  in  the 
world.  They  are  situated  about  twenty  miles  in  a southwest- 
erly direction  from  the  capital.  They  occur,  as  I have  already 
said,  in  the  Bogota  Biver,  into  which,  besides  the  two  little 
rivers  that  flow  through  the  capital,  empty  several  streams 
from  the  eastern  side  of  the  plain  or  valley  of  Bogota,  form- 


SANTA  FE  BE  BOGOTA. 


451 


ing  altogether  what  is  here  called  a river,  but  what  we  should 
rather  designate  by  the  title  of  big  brook.  Especially  would 
this  be  its  proper  name  in  the  dry  season  of  the  year.  You 
must  visit  the  falls  on  horseback,  and  the  time  required,  if 
the  roads  are  bad,  as  they  are  apt  to  be  during  a large  part 
of  the  year,  will  be  four  or  five  hours.  As,  moreover,  the 
gorge  in  which  the  falls  are  situated  is  quite  narrow,  and 
there  is  much  rising  mist,  to  say  nothing  of  frequent  rains, 
to  obtain  a good  view  it  is  customary  to  visit  them  very  early 
in  the  morning.  To  accomplish  this,  you  leave  the  capital  at 
three  o’clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  ride  about  half  the  dis- 
tance, remain  all  night  in  a little  village  inn,  and  proceed  at 
daylight  to  the  falls.  This  was  the  plan  that,  in  company 
with  a friend,  I adopted.  Bogota  is  so  compactly  built  as  to 
have  almost  no  suburbs.  You  come  at  once  upon  the  great 
plain,  and  then  follow  a very  broad  road,  inclosed  by  mud 
walls,  along  the  base  of  the  smooth,  rocky,  and  grassy  hills 
to  the  southwest.  The  road  was  enlivened  by  many  great 
ox-carts,  troops  of  freight-mules,  and  native  horsemen  mov- 
ing gracefully  along  upon  their  ambling,  though  fiery,  horses. 
The  road,  owing  to  the  recent  heavy  rains,  was  in  a terrible 
condition.  Our  horses  wallowed  in  the  mud  up  to  their  bel- 
lies. Here  and  there  were  dismembered  carts,  without  a 
wheel,  or  with  a broken  axle  or  pole,  or  mired  and  aban- 
doned. A number  of  native  beer-shops  were  open  along  the 
road,  and  at  all  of  them  our  horses  insisted  upon  stopping, 
thus  unconsciously  informing  us  of  the  habits  of  their  former 
owners  or  lessees.  At  last  we  reached  the  miserable,  tumble- 
down  village  of  Soacha,  where  we  tried  to  sleep  in  a most 
wretched  inn,  but  could  not  for  the  myriads  of  fleas.  At  day- 
light we  resumed  the  road  to  the  falls.  We  seemed  to  have 
been  gradually  entering  a more  or  less  level  valley,  lined  by 
low  hills.  In  the  fields  were  some  large  herds  of  fine  cattle. 
At  distant  points  were  great  farm-houses,  surrounded  by 
eucalypti  and  willow  trees.  A few  miles  from  Soacha  we 
turned  away  sharply  to  the  right,  and  soon  entered  an  opening 
in  the  low  ridge  of  hills.  Adjacent  was  a commodious  dwell- 


4:52  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


ing,  the  property  of  a brother  of  the  gentleman  who  owns 
the  falls  and  the  land  round  about  them.  Now  we  enter 
private  grounds,  passing  under  a huge  bowlder,  a lower  cor- 
ner of  which  has  been  cut  away  to  make  room  for  the  road. 
At  the  mouth  of  the  gorge  are  many  very  beautiful  willow- 
trees.  The  entrance  itself,  lined  by  low,  rocky  hills,  is  about 
a hundred  feet  in  width,  and  the  Bogota  River  is  here  less 
than  fifty  feet  broad.  Even  this  breadth  in  its  rapid  descent, 
which  here  begins,  is  reduced  to  twenty  feet  by  the  great 
bowlders  which  limit  its  channel  and  obstruct  its  course. 
The  road  follows  the  river  from  here  down  to  the  falls,  about 
three  miles  distant,  being  for  long  distances  cut  out  of  the 
cliffs.  As  you  go  down,  the  hills  begin  to  be  sparsely  cov- 
ered with  scrubby  trees  and  pretty  ferns  and  cacti.  You 
see  also  handsome  willow-trees  bordering  the  stream.  The 
river  descends  in  a channel  crowded  with  enormous  bowlders, 
in  the  style  of  a raging,  roaring,  foaming  mountain  torrent, 
thus  making  a long  series  of  magnificent  cataracts.  The 
water  shows  variously  brown,  yellow,  and  white.  The  trees 
are  dark-green,  the  rocks  are  gray,  the  ferns  and  cacti  of  sub- 
dued tints,  and  the  flowers  of  many  bright  colors.  We  pass 
some  hills  where  the  country  people  are  mining  for  coal — 
near  the  surface,  however.  This  fuel  is  of  a very  fair  quali- 
ty, and  is  transported  to  market  in  the  great  ox-carts  of  the 
country.  The  gas  used  in  Bogota  is  made  from  coal,  which 
is  obtained  from  the  hills  directly  behind  the  city.  The 
gorge  opens  and  closes,  and  repeats  the  process  again  and 
again,  until  we  reach  the  falls.  Here  the  vegetation  has  be- 
come quite  dense,  the  trees  are  of  a larger  size,  and  their 
leaves  of  a richer  and  glossier  hue.  The  road  leads  on  and 
presents  fine  views  of  the  fall  from  below.  But  it  is  best  to 
leave  the  path  a little  above,  and  descend  to  the  head  of  the 
cataract.  On  each  side  of  it  are  great  bowlders  and  rocky 
walls.  The  brownish-yellow  stream  rushes  along  with  a power- 
ful velocity  and  with  a considerable  depth,  but  not  greater 
width  than  fifty  feet  directly  at  the  beginning  of  the  fall.  The 
water  first  takes  a slight  plunge  of  about  twenty-five  feet,  on 


SANTA  FE.  DE  BOGOTA. 


453 


to  a rocky  ledge.  From  this  ledge  it  makes  one  tremendous 
leap  of  six  hundred  feet  to  the  bottom  of  the  enormous  cal- 
dron. In  its  descent  it  spreads  out  into  a huge  column, 
about  a hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  width  and  fifty  feet  in 
thickness.  In  this  latter  respect  it  had  to  me  a different  look 
from  most  of  the  great  cataracts  of  the  world.  Seen  from  the 
side,  it  presented  the  appearance  of  a vast  round,  solid  shaft 
of  yellow  water  and  white  spray.  Though  such  a high  fall, 
and  with  so  much  water,  I was  surprised  that  it  did  not  make 
a louder  noise,  that  it  could  not  be  heard  a greater  distance. 
The  roar,  however,  must  vary  with  the  states  of  the  atmos- 
phere, and  I fear  that  the  day  of  my  visit  was  not  propitious 
for  the  finest  effect.  A path  leads  from  the  top  of  Tequen- 
dama  to  the  bottom,  and,  though  steep  and  difficult,  is  not. 
dangerous.  I spent  three  hours  there,  and  reached  the  city 
again  at  two  o’clock,  thus  having  made  the  entire  excursion 
in  less  than  twenty-four  hours. 

On  Christmas-day  I left  Bogota  on  the  return  journey  to 
Honda,  the  Magdalena,  and  the  Caribbean.  I reached  Faca- 
tativa  at  noon,  and  after  breakfast  went  on  at  once  by  mule 
to  a road-station  called  Chimbe,  where  I passed  a horrible 
night,  devoured  by  fleas  and  almost  suffocated  by  vile  smells. 
I went  on  at  daylight,  passed  through  Villeta,  and  reached 
Guaduas  at  night.  On  reaching  the  summit  of  the  ridge 
between  Guaduas  and  the  Magdalena  Biver,  I had  magnifi- 
cent views  of  Tolima  and  Buiz,  standing  out  clean  from  below 
the  snow-limit  to  their  summits.  The  vista  up  and  down  the 
Magdalena  was  at  least  fifty  miles  in  length  by  twenty  in 
width.  It  was  exceedingly  fine.  In  going  up  to  the  capital, 
I had  lost  all  of  this  through  rain,  fog,  and  mist.  I descended 
gradually  to  the  level  of  the  Magdalena,  winding  along  the 
great  wooded  hills  which  border  that  river.  During  the  past 
two  days  I found  the  road  so  much  better,  so  much  drier, 
than  when  I ascended  the  Cordillera,  that  I was  able  to  reach 
Honda  at  five  o’clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  third  day.  The 
accoutrements  furnished  travelers  upon  the  road  between 
Honda  and  Bogota  are  most  wretched,  as  are  also  the  pack- 


454  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


mules.  The  riding-mules  are  fair.  The  road,  as  I have  indi- 
cated, is  very  bad  the  whole  distance  from  Honda  to  Facata- 
tiya — exceedingly  steep,  and  full  of  holes  and  great  rocks. 
The  stone  staircases,  some  of  them  rising  at  an  angle  of  thirty- 
five  degrees,  ought  to  be  seen  and  experienced  to  be  appre- 
hended and  appreciated.  In  ascending  one  of  the  steepest 
hills,  the  girth  of  my  saddle  broke,  and  I slid  off  the  tail  of 
the  animal,  which  kicked  viciously,  but  fortunately  did  not 
quite  reach  me.  My  mule  also  fell  several  times  with  me ; 
and  when  a mule  falls,  the  road  is  indeed  bad.  In  coming 
down,  however,  I bestrode  a diminutive  gray  mule,  hardly 
larger  than  a Newfoundland  dog,  but  so  remarkably  sure- 
footed as  not  to  slip  once  the  entire  distance.  My  saddle, 
however,  was  in  such  a dilapidated  condition  and  of  such 
cheap  construction  that  I had  to  sew  up  its  sides  in  order  to 
prevent  my  mule  from  eating  the  straw  with  which  it  was 
stuffed. 


CHAPTER  L. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

The  Colombians  have  an  extraordinary  conception  of 
business  and  mercantile  habits  and  methods.  At  the  post- 
office  in  Bogota  one  man  sells  postage-stamps  of  a certain 
low  value  only,  another  of  a higher.  This  is  not  so  bad  as 
the  separation  of  the  office  where  you  buy  stamps  from  the 
office  where  you  mail  letters,  which  was  the  regulation  in 
La  G-uayra  and  Caracas — in  the  former  town  at  a distance  of 
nearly  a block,  and  in  the  latter  city  at  a distance  of  several 
blocks.  In  Bogota  accounts,  at  the  chief  hotels,  are  rendered 
in  totals,  without  any  detailed  statement,  simply  saying  that 
you  receive  to  date  the  amount  of  your  account,  which  can 
be  examined  upon  the  books  of  the  proprietor.  It  need  hardly 
be  mentioned,  however,  that  should  you  express  a desire  to 
examine  said  books,  the  proprieter  would  feel  greatly  insulted, 
to  say  nothing  of  the  difficulty  arising  from  your  possible 
ignorance  of  the  Spanish  language,  or  the  special  style  of 
book-keeping  employed.  Still  another  instance : the  steamer 
which  plies  between  Honda  and  Jirardot  was  detained  more 
than  a week  beyond  its  regular  date  of  sailing,  in  order  to 
accommodate  a certain  general  who  wished  to  take  passage 
thereon,  and  who,  after  all,  changed  his  mind,  and  went  all 
the  distance  to  the  capital  by  mule-back  and  carriage.  Even 
the  “ regular  mail  ” steamers  are  detained  a day  or  two  for 
any  letters  which  the  Government  may  wish  to  send,  or  to  re- 
ceive any  person  of  rank  who  may  desire  to  be  a passenger. 
Thus,  neither  post-office  nor  mail-steamer  serves  the  public 
effectively.  Exaggerated  forms  of  address  are  the  fashion  in 


456  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


Colombia.  Small  boys  are  saluted  by  their  elders  as  “ Mr.” 
and  “ Sir.”  A gentleman  nses  the  same  title  to  his  lowest 
servant,  and  will  even  ask  pardon  of  a beggar  for  having  no 
change,  addressing  him  as  “Senor.”  It  is  almost  needless  to 
add  that  these  people  are  everlastingly  bowing  to  each  other, 
and  shaking  hands  daily  in  the  streets  and  elsewhere,  as  if 
they  had  not  met  for  years.  If  friends  have  been  separated 
only  a week,  they  fall  into  each  other’s  arms  with  great 
warmth,  and  very  extravagant  expressions  of  esteem  and 
friendship.  Not  so  among  the  women,  and  I especially  grieve 
to  add  not  so  between  the  sexes.  Though  naturally  inclined 
to  think  one’s  own  country  quite  right  about  everything, 
sometimes  one  is  willing  to  learn  and  practice  a new  cus- 
tom. 

The  voyage  down  the  river  is  at  double  the  speed  of  that 
against  the  current,  and  much  more  animated.  Sitting  in 
the  bow,  we  have  a strong  breeze,  which,  though  warm  in  the 
middle  hours  of  the  day,  yet  is  sufficiently  refreshing  to  re- 
lieve high  temperature.  Our  cargo  consists  of  coffee,  cacao, 
hides,  bales  of  tobacco,  and  vegetable-ivory  mats.  At  all  the 
stations  where  we  stop  the  crew  buy  and  sell  in  a very  open- 
handed  fashion.  They  are  especially  engaged  in  laying  in  a 
store  of  things  to  sell  in  Barranquilla,  such  as  earthen  jars, 
straw  bed-mats,  cigars,  plantains,  boxes  of  jelly,  skins  of  wild 
animals,  hides,  and  fowls.  All  the  crew,  besides  their  regular 
duties,  seem  to  find  time  for  this  trafficking,  which  they  do 
on  both  the  upward  and  downward  journey.  It  is  a cause  of 
delay  to  the  passengers,  to  say  nothing  of  its  iniquity,  and 
should  not  be  allowed  by  the  company.  We  arrived  at  Cala- 
mar  at  five  o’clock  one  afternoon,  and  could  easily  have 
reached  Barranquilla  at  nine  o’clock  in  the  evening ; but, 
after  having  received  some  new  passengers  and  their  luggage 
— there  was  no  freight — the  captain  decided  to  take  wood, 
although  there  was  a great  supply  aboard ; and  this  at  last 
being  accomplished,  we  heard  that  he  had  decided  to  stay  all 
night,  to  attend  a ball  with  his  officers — or,  as  it  was  given  out, 
to  oblige  some  of  the  passengers.  This  was,  to  us,  the  last 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


457 


straw  that  breaks,  etc.  The  majority,  therefore,  made  so 
vigorous  a protest  that  the  captain  suddenly  changed  his  mind, 
and  we  started  on,  but  had  lost  so  much  time  that  we  did  not 
reach  Barranquilla  until  midnight.  We  left  Honda  seven- 
teen hours  later  than  was  intended,  and  during  the  voyage, 
although  it  was  one  of  the  “ mail  ” steamers,  we  made  fifteen 
wearisome  stops  for  freight,  and,  notwithstanding  our  speed 
was  double  that  of  the  upward  journey,  yet  the  time  con- 
sumed was  about  the  same. 

On  January  9th  I took  passage,  in  another  steamer  of 
the  “West  India  and  Pacific  Line,”  for  Aspinwall,  by  way 
of  Cartagena,  Colombia.  About  a mile  to  the  eastward  of 
Cartagena,  upon  the  extremity  of  a short  range  of  hills,  are 
still  standing  the  massive  walls,  forty  feet  in  height,  of  what 
was  some  years  ago  a convent.  This  may  be  seen  a long  dis- 
tance out  at  sea,  and  first  acquaints  the  mariner  with  the 
proximity  of  Cartagena.  Heading  in  toward  the  land,  the 
towers,  domes,  spires,  and  avails  of  the  city  shortly  appear. 
With  the  yellow  buildings,  the  gray  stone  of  the  fortifica- 
tions, the  background  of  green  hills  covered  with  grass  and 
scrub,  and  the  foreground  of  bright  azure  sea,  the  picture, 
lighted  by  a noonday  sun,  is  very  striking  and  quite  Oriental. 
Cartagena  is  situated  almost  immediately  upon  the  waters 
of  the  Caribbean  Sea.  Vessels,  however,  do  not  ordinarily 
anchor  off  the  coast  abreast  of  it,  but  sail  or  steam  half  a 
dozen  miles  to  the  westward,  and  enter  a large  bay,  one  arm 
of  which  gives  deep  water  up  to  within  a mile  of  the  city’s 
walls.  The  main  entrance  to  this  bay  is  at  a comparatively 
short  distance  from  Cartagena,  but  it  was  made  useless  to 
navigation  by  having  been  blocked  with  stones  during  the 
colonial  war  with  Spain.  We  fire  a gun  for  a pilot,  and  a 
negro,  barefooted,  and  in  only  shirt  and  trousers,  comes  on 
board,  being  paddled  out  in  a canoe  of  exceedingly  primitive 
form.  Nearly  in  the  center  of  the  entrance  is  an  old  fort, 
at  present  dismantled,  as  is  another  opposite,  on  the  island 
to  the  eastward.  These  were  built  by  the  old  Spaniards, 
of  cut  stone  and  brick,  and  their  fair  condition  at  the  pres- 


458  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA . 


ent  day  speaks  well  for  the  quality  of  their  original  con- 
struction. Some  of  the  hills  around  the  bay  are  cultivated. 
At  about  the  center  of  the  eastern  side  is  the  entrance  to  the 
canal,  which  leads  to  the  Magdalena  River  at  Calamar.  The 
bay  narrows  as  we  pass  two  more  small,  dismantled  forts,  and 
soon  after  anchor  near  a fifth  one,  as  broken-down  as  the 
others,  and  find,  for  our  companionship,  a Colombian  gun- 
boat, an  old  bark,  and  a small  English  steamer.  Cartagena 
is  about  nine  hours  from  Salgar.  Tug-boats  bring  us,  in 
barges,  a freight  of  coffee,  ivory-nuts,  and  dye-woods,  while 
we  go  ashore  in  row-boats. 

Although  the  place  at  which  vessels  lie  at  anchor  is  at 
a considerable  distance  from  the  city,  yet  there  is  plenty  of 
room  and  of  water,  and,  in  fact,  the  harbor  is  the  best  on  the 
northern  coast  of  Colombia.  Cartagena  is  situated  at  the 
northern  end  of  the  harbor,  on  a narrow  neck  of  sand  two 
miles  in  length.  It  is  in  the  form  of  a peninsula,  with  the 
ocean,  or  Caribbean  Sea,  on  one  side,  and  the  waters  of  the 
bay  upon  the  other.  On  the  mainland  are  great  groves  of 
cocoanut-palms  ; within  the  city  proper,  which  completely 
fills  its  walls,  are  only  a few  trees  in  some  of  the  private  gar- 
dens and  court-yards.  The  city  is  about  three  fourths  of  a 
mile  long  from  north  to  south,  and  half  a mile  wide  from 
east  to  west.  The  walls  which  inclose  this  space  are  very 
solidly  built  of  brick  and  cut  stone,  with  gates,  towers,  and 
bastions.  They  will  average,  perhaps,  twenty  feet  in  height, 
and  thirty  in  width.  They  were  once  fortified  with  about 
two  hundred  cannon,  but  at  present  are  all  but  dismantled. 
The  few  guns  still  mounted  are  very  old  and  rusty,  and  prob- 
ably quite  unserviceable.  The  main  part  of  the  city  commu- 
nicates with  a smaller  section  by  means  of  an  elaborate  stone 
gate,  of  very  massive  construction,  which  opens  upon  a wide 
ditch  formerly  spanned  by  a bridge.  The  latter  was  drawn 
up  at  night,  or  could  be  drawn  up  in  presence  of  an  enemy, 
as  might  be  seen  from  the  spaces  left  in  the  walls  for  the 
pulleys  and  chains.  The  city  in  general  appearance,  much 
resembles  Curasao,  or  Willemstad,  though  its  commercial 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


459 


importance  has  declined,  it  is  claimed,  in  favor  of  Barran- 
quilla. 

We  remained  only  one  day  in  Cartagena,  and  started 
early  the  following  morning  for  Aspinwall,  carrying  one 
hundred  laborers,  mostly  negroes,  for  the  Panama  Canal. 
During  the  day  and  night  we  crossed  the  month  of  the  Gulf 
of  Darien,  and  the  next  morning  sighted  the  isthmus.  It 
was  the  Point  of  San  Bias,  and  from  here  high  wooded  hill- 
ocks, rising  ridge  behind  ridge,  extend  westward  toward  the 
town  of  Porto  Bello,  and  thence  on,  in  low,  smooth  ranges, 
to  Aspinwall.  Observed  from  the  sea,  Aspinwall  appears  to 
sit  exactly  in  the  wTater.  At  the  eastern  side  is  what  is  called 
Coolie  Town.  Here  also  is  situated  the  large,  three-storied 
hospital.  Upon  my  first  visit  to  Aspinwall  quite  two  thirds 
of  the  town  had  been  burned,  but  now  it  seems  to  be  mostly 
built  up,  and  in  a finer  style  than  before.  Prom  the  ofiing 
you  notice  no  particularly  large  buildings,  save  the  great  ware- 
houses of  the  many  steamer  companies  which  do  business  here. 
Directly  upon  the  sea,  which  is  faced  by  a long  stone  wall, 
shaded  by  a large  grove  of  cocoaimt-palms,  is  a street  of  neat 
cottages — the  best  houses  and  the  best  dwelling-site  of  Aspin- 
wall. The  town  now  consists  of  four  or  five  parallel  streets  of 
wooden  two  and  three  story  houses.  The  roofs  are  generally 
of  zinc,  but  the  remainder  of  the  buildings  is  of  plank.  As- 
pinwall is  simply  a great  lumber-yard,  and  a fire  would  prove 
most  disastrous.  In  fact,  if  a fire  ever  got  well  under  way, 
and  was  accompanied  by  a strong  wind,  nothing  could  save 
the  town  from  utter  destruction.  The  huge  iron  steamer 
warehouses  would  be  a credit  to  a city  like  Hew  York. 
Hext  to  them  runs  a very  wide  street,  one  half  of  which  is 
occupied  by  the  traffic  of  the  Panama  Pailway  and  the  other 
by  a good  plank  road.  The  sidewalk  passes  under  the  houses, 
in  the  arcade  style  of  South  American  towns.  Here  are 
shops  of  every  character,  steamer  offices,  the  foreign  consu- 
lates, very  many  bar-rooms,  hotels,  and  restaurants,  and  not  a 
few  gambling-saloons.  Gambling,  both  here  and  at  Panama, 
is  carried  on  quite  openly,  and  is  a passion  with  all  classes. 


460  ABOUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

The  favorite  games  are  roulette  and  baccarat.  Aspinwall  is 
a very  mushroom  sort  of  town,  similar  to  what  San  Francisco 
must  have  been  in  the  first  flush  of  its  gold  discovery.  The 
population  embraces  representatives  of  every  class,  from 
every  nationality.  The  streets  are  crowded  with  people,  and 
there  is  such  a commotion  as  one  witnesses  in  West  or  South 
Streets,  New  York.  Prices  are  exceedingly  high,  and  every- 
thing is  on  a silver  or  gold  basis.  The  silver  soles  of  Peru 
and  the  silver  pesos  of  Chili,  representing  a United  States 
dollar,  the  fifty-cent  pieces  of  Bogota,  and  the  smaller  divis- 
ion of  reales  (ten-cent  pieces),  form  the  circulating  medium, 
while  American  gold  coin  is  always  at  a premium.  Aspin- 
wall  is  connected  with  the  rest  of  the  world  by  three  Eng- 
lish companies  of  steamers,  and  by  American,  German, 
French,  and  Spanish  lines. 

Although  on  arriving  at  Aspinwall  I had  completed  my  cir- 
cuitous tour  of  South  America,  I determined  to  take  another 
look  at  the  canal,  and  at  Panama,  before  leaving  for  the 
United  States.  Pail  way  fares  were  not  now  specially  high — 
having  been  reduced  to  ten  dollars  in  silver — except  for 
“ through  ” steamer-passengers,  who  paid  the  enormous  sum 
of  twenty-five  dollars,  gold,  as  of  old.  I stopped  at  a sta- 
tion, about  half-way  across  the  Isthmus,  in  order  to  inspect  the 
canal.  A number  of  new  stations  had  sprung  up  since  my 
former  visit,  and  all  had  grown  very  much.  There  seemed  an 
especially  great  influx  of  Chinese  shopkeepers.  The  Chinese 
are  not  worth  much  as  workmen,  being  both  sickly  and  idle. 
All  these  towns  contained  houses  and  stores  similar  to  those 
of  Aspinwall.  Parely  now  do  you  see  Indian  or  negro  vil- 
lages of  bamboo  and  mud  walls,  with  grass  roofs.  The  train 
was  full  of  both  first  and  second  class  passengers,  among  the 
former  many  French  engineers,  surveyors,  and  superintend- 
ents. As  regards  actual  progress  on  the  canal,  since  my 
preceding  inspection,  I confess  I could  detect  very  little. 
What  had  been  done  seemed  rather  in  the  direction  of 
increased  accumulation  of  stores  and  supplies,  machinery, 
tools,  diggers,  engines,  and  cars.  The  French  settlements 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


461 


were  largely  increased  in  nnmber  and  in  size,  and  elaborate  cot- 
tages and  expensive  hospitals  had  been  erected.  But  not  one 
tenth  of  the  former  number  of  laborers  were  at  work,  and 
the  actual  excavation  of  the  canal  itself  seemed  hardly  a whit 
further  advanced.  Many  residents  of  Aspinwall  and  Panama 
corroborated  my  observations,  and  appeared  to  think  the  canal 
in  a “ very  bad  way.”  They  informed  me  that  there  was  only 
enough  money  on  hand  to  last  about  a year,  and  they  thought 
it  extremely  doubtful  if  the  company  could  float  another 
loan.  They  said,  moreover,  that  even  if  money  and  laborers 
were  at  hand,  the  canal  could  not  be  completed  in  ten  years’ 
time. 

In  the  elements  of  the  cost  of  human  life,  the  Panama 
Bailroad  was  once  unrivaled,  but  has  now  been  distanced  by 
the  canal.  The  death-rate  is  chiefly  from  yellow  fever,  and 
is  as  high  as  one  hundred  and  fifty  per  thousand.  The 
Kroomen,  or  negroes,  from  western  Africa,  stand  the  hard- 
ships best,  but  the  Jamaicans  die  like  dogs.  Hot  a tenth  of 
the  canal  has  been  built,  and  the  greatest  and  costliest  part  of 
the  achievement  yet  to  be  done,  the  management  of  the 
Chagres  Biver,  remains.  How  stands  the  work  to-day  ? 
Three  hundred  million  dollars  have  been  spent.  The  stock- 
holders have  on  hand  one  hundred  million  five  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars’  worth  of  machinery,  one  hundred  and  fifty  mill- 
ions’ worth  of  uncollectable  claims  against  swindling  officials, 
and  fifty  million  dollars’  worth  of  uncompleted  canal.  The 
further  capital  required  is  to  be  purchased,  if  at  all,  only  at  a 
perilously  heavy  shave.  The  Panama  Canal  must  be  regard- 
ed, therefore,  as  the  most  gigantic  financial  disaster  of  the 
nineteenth  century  ; for  no  one  now  doubts  that  the  scheme 
has  finally  collapsed,  and  that  the  long  dream  of  water  tran- 
sit across  the  Isthmus  is  apparently  as  far  from  realization  as 
ever.  It  could  not  have  been  otherwise  with  an  enterprise 
that,  as  originally  planned,  and  in  favorable  circumstances, 
would  require  the  work  of  fifty  thousand  men  for  twenty 
years ! But,  after  all,  is  the  canal  worth  building?  Its  neces- 
sity and  use  have  been  greatly  overestimated  and  misstated, 


462  AROUND  AND  ABOUT  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


The  traffic  between  Australia  and  India,  and  Europe  and 
America  would  pass  through  Suez  rather  than  Panama ; and 
the  trade  of  the  west  coast  of  South  America  with  the  east 
coast  of  North  America  and  wTith  Europe  could  never  make 
a satisfactory  return  on  an  investment  of  probably  one  billion 
dollars.  The  canal,  even  if  it  carried  all  the  commerce  of 
the  world,  could  hardly  pay,  at  such  a fabulous  cost. 

I had  intended  to  go  from  Aspinwall  to  Cuba,  by  way  of 
Jamaica.  But  small-pox  was  raging  in  Kingston,  and  there- 
fore I should  either  be  quarantined  at  Havana,  or  perhaps 
not  allowed  even  to  land  ; for  such  detention  is  usual,  under 
those  circumstances,  in  certain  parts  of  the  West  Indies.  So 
I decided  to  take  a steamer  belonging  to  the  “ West  India 
and  Pacific  Company,”  the  line  by  which  I had  recently 
voyaged  so  much.  Proceeding  by  their  route  to  New  Orleans, 
and  thence  to  Havana,  the  time  of  transit,  provided  I made 
prompt  connections,  would  be  nearly  the  same  as  by  way  of 
Kingston.  Keturning  from  Panama  to  Aspinwall,  I left  for 
New  Orleans  on  January  20, 1887. 

In  order  to  assuage  the  solicitude  which  the  sympathetic 
reader  may  possibly  feel  with  respect  to  the  celerity  of  my 
homeward  progress,  I may  say  that  I had  still  before  me 
miles  and  months  of  travel.  Arriving  at  New  Orleans,  I went 
by  way  of  Tampa  and  Key  West,  in  Florida,  to  Cuba,  and 
thence  to  Yucatan.  There  I inspected  all  the  important  and 
interesting  ruins,  with  an  experience  the  reverse  of  Sir  Charles 
Coldstream’s.  Next  I sailed  to  Yera  Cruz  and  coursed 
through  Mexico,  descending  the  deepest  silver-mine  of  Gua- 
najuato, and  scaling  Popocatepetl,  the  highest  mountain  of 
North  America.  From  Old  Mexico  I took  the  railroad  to 
New,  and  visited  the  pueblo  of  the  Zuni  Indians,  in  order  to 
study  their  ancient  and  unique  civilization.  Then  I ingulfed 
myself  in  the  Great  Canon  of  the  Colorado  River,  one  of  the 
grandest  curiosities  in  this  curiously  grand  world.  The  Cyclo- 
pean Yosemite  and  the  poetic  Lake  Tahoe  of  California  sub- 
sequently afforded  me  very  pleasurable  delays.  Afterward 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


463 


came  the  Yellowstone  National  Park,  with  its  fifty  geysers 
and  ten  thousand  springs.  The  sequel  to  these  were  the 
chain  of  Great  Lakes  and  Niagara  Palls,  sailing  down  the  one 
and  sharing  the  general  frenzy  to  jump  down  the  other.  So 
to  New  Y ork,  the  apple  of  the  Knickerbocker  eye,  after  a total 
journey  in  the  three  Americas  of  fifty-five  thousand  miles. 
I had  been  absent  two  and  a half  years.  W onderful  to  relate, 
I had  not  lost  a single  day  through  accident  or  illness. 

I sincerely  hope  that  all  the  days  of  all  my  readers  may 
equally  be  blessed. 


INDEX. 


Abdon  Ahuraada,  Captain,  181. 

Acapulco,  lonely  voyage  of,  1. 

Aconcagua,  116. 

Agua  Larga,  438 ; view  from,  439. 

Aguardiente,  for  fever,  15. 

Alameda  de  los  Descalzos,  62. 

Alexander  Selkirk,  an,  11. 

All  sorts  and  conditions  of  men,  130. 

Amazonian  passenger-line  of  steamers, 
350. 

Amazon  River,  the,  nature  of  the 
largest  part  of,  352 ; central  part, 
356 ; description  of,  357  ; craft  upon, 
359 ; width  of,  365. 

Ambato,  town  of,  22. 

Amenities  of  travel,  298,  299. 

Andes,  the,  28,  39,  40. 

Aracaju,  town  of,  316. 

Arequipa,  town  of,  77,  78. 

Arica,  town  of,  102. 

Arranca  Plumas,  settlement  of,  436. 

Asphalt,  398,  399. 

Aspinwall,  distance  of,  from  New  York, 
1,  2 ; location  of,  459  ; houses,  459  ; 
warehouses,  459  ; sidewalks,  459 ; 
gambling,  459,  460  ; prices  and  cur- 
rency, 460. 

Asuncion,  city  of,  160,  163,  164,  165, 
166;  cathedral,  166;  market,  167; 
female  dress,  168;  climate  and  cur- 
rency, 169  ; cemetery,  169,  170,  171. 

Autofagasta,  smelting-works  at,  103. 

Babel  on  shipboard,  115. 

Baccarat  and  roulette,  460. 

30 


Bahia,  harbor  of,  305,  306 ; city  of, 
306 ; large  negresses  in,  306  ; sedan- 
chairs,  307 ; Government  House  and 
Municipal  Hall,  307,  308;  theatre, 
hotel,  newspaper-offices,  308 ; tram- 
ways, 308;  churches,  309;  library 
and  hospital,  310 ; Public  Garden, 
311. 

Ballivian,  Senor  Manuel  Yicente,  93, 
94. 

Balsa,  a raft  or  lighter,  47. 

Banco,  village  of,  433. 

Barbados,  most  important  of  the 
Windward  Islands,  366 ; a sanita- 
rium, 368 ; well  served  with  steam- 
ers, 368. 

Barrancas,  town  of,  401. 

Barranquilla,  town  of,  426,  427. 

Bartica  Grove,  380. 

Bedrooms  in  Brazilian  farm-houses, 
287- 

Belem,  another  name  for  Par &,  344. 

“ Best  ” hotel,  441. 

Blanco,  General  Guzman,  statues  of, 
403, 411 ; wonderful  welcome  to,  417, 
418  ; when  and  where  born,  418  ; 
how  educated,  418;  how  he  rose, 
418,419;  Vice-President,  419;  pro- 
visional President,  419  ; influence  on 
education  and  public  works,  419; 
revises  civil,  military,  and  penal 
codes,  419,  420 ; recalled  by  the 
people,  420;  second  term,  420  ^ex- 
tends boundaries  of  the  republic, 
420 ; encourages  national  progress, 


466 


INDEX. 


420  ; improves  finances  of  the  coun- 
try, 420,  421 ; liberal  policy,  421  ; 
his  wealth,  421  ; his  wife,  421. 

Bogota,  situation  of,  440  ; isolation  of, 
440;  bad  roads  near,  441;  Decem- 
ber in,  441 ; dress  of  men  and  wom- 
en, 442  ; Capitol,  442,  447  ; chapels, 
448 ; Grand  Plaza,  443  ; houses,  443 ; 
balconies,  444 ; banks  and  shops, 
444 ; carriages  and  baggage,  444 ; 
sedan-chairs,  444 ; kerosene-lamps, 
444,  445  ; tramway,  445  ; horsemen, 
445  ; mint  and  currency,  446 ; 
churches,  446,  447  ; School  of  Fine 
Arts,  447,  448 ; National  Museum 
and  National  Library,  449  ; observa- 
tory, 449 ; newspapers,  450 ; no  sub- 
urbs, 451 ; coal-gas,  452  ; hotel  bills, 
455 ; trade  with  Barranquilla,  456. 

Boiling-down  factories,  398. 

Bolivar,  Simon,  403;  statue  of,  412; 
veneration  for,  415  ; monument  to, 
443. 

Bonpland,  Aime,  204,  205. 

Brazil,  a constitutional  empire,  256  ; 
status  in  South  America,  256 ; vast 
resources,  national  finances,  and 
navy,  256 ; slavery,  263  ; slave  re- 
volt, 263,  264 ; emancipation,  264  ; 
abolition  of  slavery,  264,  265. 

Breakwater  of  solid  cement,  406. 

Bridgetown,  roadstead  of,  366 ; city 
of,  366,  367  ; streets  and  buildings, 
367  ; cathedral  and  public  build- 
ings, 367;  houses  of  English  resi- 
dents, 368,  369  ; sugar-mills,  369. 

Brigantines,  161. 

British  Guiana,  coast  of,  370,  373; 
immigrants,  373  ; savannas,  373, 
374;  sugar  export,  374;  sugar  es- 
tates, 374;  provinces  of,  374;  gov- 
ernment, 374,  375  ; gold-mining, 
382  ; exports,  382,  383. 

Buenos  Ayres,  city  of,  152,  153,  154; 
Plaza  de  la  Victoria,  154  ; Congress 
Hall  and  Town  Hall,  155;  public 


cemetery,  155,  156  ; villas  and  banks, 
156;  theatres,  156,  157. 

Bullocks,  how  they  are  hoisted  in  Bra- 
zil, 363,  364. 

Butterflies,  182. 

Caceres,  General,  51,  52. 

Cachoeira,  a business  center,  312. 

Calamar,  town  of,  431. 

Callao,  town  of,  49,  50. 

Camelotes,  floating  islands,  163. 

Campinas,  coffee  plantations  at,  261. 

Cape  Froward,  128. 

Caracas,  city  of,  407 ; statue  of  Blan- 
co, 407,  408 ; distance  from  La 
Guayra,  408 ; railway  and  coach- 
road,  408 ; location,  409 ; street  no- 
menclature, 410 ; Paseo  Guzman 
Blanco,  411;  aqueduct,  411;  mar- 
ket, 412  ; public  buildings,  412,  413  ; 
University  Library,  413 ; municipal 
courts,  413;  Federal  Palace,  413, 
414;  portraits  of  Venezuelan  patri- 
ots, 414 ; Teatro  Guzman  Blanco, 
414;  Teatro  Caracas,  414;  Panteon 
Nacional,  415;  National  Museum, 
415;  ladies,  416;  public  improve- 
ments due  to  Blanco,  416,  417. 

Caracoli,  port  of  Honda,  427. 

Carreno,  Teresina,  418. 

J Cartagena,  bay  of,  431 ; appearance  of 
the  city,  457  ; location  of,  457 ; form 
of,  458  ; inside  the  city,  458,  459. 

Castilian  language,  ambitious  attempts 
at,  10. 

Catching  the  ostrich  and  the  rhea,  141, 
142. 

Cauca,  the  river,  432. 

Caxones,  town  of,  275. 

Cayenne,  difficulty  of  reaching,  364 ; 
houses  and  other  buildings,  388,  389 ; 
how  laid  out,  389 ; vultures,  389, 
390 ; streets,  390 ; dress  of  the  wom- 
en, 390;  French  garrison,  390; 
gold-mining,  390  ; Cabbage-palm 
Square,  391 ; the  Caserne, 391 ; Place 


INDEX. 


467 


d’Armes,  391  ; Government  House, 
392  ; semaphore,  392  ; brilliant  levee, 
392,  393. 

Ceibo,  port  of  Monte  Caseros,  205. 

Cerro  de  Santa  Lucia,  108. 

Chagres,  the  river,  5,  461. 

Chalmers,  Mr.  George,  276,  2 77. 

Chapinero,  pleasure-ground,  445. 

Chica,  a native  beer,  438. 

Chili,  115. 

Chililaya,  84. 

Chiloe,  118. 

Chimbo,  valley  of,  42. 

Chimborazo,  its  appearance,  15,  21,  42. 

Chinese  View,  247. 

Chinese  workmen,  460. 

Choice  of  routes,  13. 

Christophe  Colomb,  town  of,  2,  3. 

Chuquipoyo,  altitude  and  atmosphere 
of,  21,  22. 

Coach-lines  and  horseback  service, 
174. 

Coast  of  Peru  and  Bolivia,  46. 

Coffee  interest,  San  Paulo, headquarters 
of  the,  260. 

Coffee-tree,  the  first  planted  in  Brazil, 
260. 

Colombia,  United  States  of,  421  ; revo- 
lutions in,  447  ; army  of,  448. 

Colombians,  dress  of  the,  427;  their 
conception  of  business,  455. 

Columbus  and  the  Indian,  statue  of,  3, 
64. 

Column  of  the  2d  of  May,  57. 

Concordia,  205,  206. 

Consuls  and  vice-consuls,  136. 

Convict-life,  a glimpse  of,  291. 

Corcovado  peak,  217,  218,  219,  220. 

Coronel,  the  great  coal  region  of  Chili, 
118. 

Corrientes,  town  of,  175. 

Cotopaxi  by  moonlight,  24. 

Country  of  hammocks,  the,  351. 

Cousino,  Senora,  117 ; her  immense 
possessions,  118. 

Cura9ao,  capital  of,  422,  423. 


Daly  Palls,  193,  195. 

Deck-washing,  355. 

Delta  of  the  Orinoco,  393,  402. 

Demerara  River,  course  of  the,  380, 
381 ; scenery  along,  381. 

Domestic  interiors,  262. 

Dom  Pedro  II.,  239,  240,  241 ; inter- 
view with  his  Majesty,  252,  253 ; 
appearance,  manners,  and  habits, 
252,  253,  254  ; memorable  senti- 
ments of,  254  ; intellectual  tastes  of, 
255 ; biographical  sketch  of,  255, 
256. 

Donkeys,  17. 

Double  palm-tree,  391. 

Dragon’s  Mouth,  393. 

Drunkenness,  99,  100. 

Duel,  a,  crushed  in  the  bud,  200. 

Dutch  architecture,  422,  423. 

Earthquakes,  cause  of,  40. 

Ecuadorian  scenery,  43. 

El  Cerro,  144. 

Elevated  lakes,  80. 

El  Respiroso,  403. 

Embroidered  bed-linen  in  mud  huts, 
199,  273,  274. 

Emperor’s  View,  329. 

Encarnacion,  180. 

Encouragement  to  colonists,  1 72. 

Engenhos,  or  sugar-mills,  341. 

Engineering,  remarkable  examples  of, 
300,  302,  409. 

English  steamers,  211,  428,  429. 

Entertainment,  an  African,  281,  282, 
283. 

Entre  Rios,  269. 

Esmeralda,  the,  61,  62. 

Essequibo,  mouth  of  the,  379,  380. 

Exaggerated  courtesy,  455,  456. 

Excavator,  6. 

Facatativa,  Grand  Plaza  of,  439. 

Falkland  Islands,  133,  134,  137,  138, 
139;  vicissitudes,  139,  140. 

Farm,  a typical  Paraguayan,  196. 


468 


INDEX. 


Feira,  B12. 

Female  conductor,  105. 

Fernando  de  Noronha,  a penal  colony, 
342. 

Fiesta,  100. 

Financial  disaster,  the  most  gigantic  of 
the  nineteenth  century,  461. 

Finger  of  God,  251. 

Fishing-raft,  809. 

Forest  habitants,  wild  and  tame,  432. 

Fray  Bentos,  town  of,  206. 

Fuegians,  the,  122,  123,  124,  125,  126; 
difference  between  them  and  the 
Patagonians,  141. 

Furna  dos  Morcegos,  or  Vampire  Grot- 
to, 330. 

Furniture,  singular  arrangement  of, 
331. 

Galapagos  Islands,  10,  11. 

Gambling,  87,  404,  459,  460. 

Gardens,  Mr.  E.  S.  Rand’s,  350. 

Gaucho,  the,  178. 

Gavea,  the  peak,  247. 

Gendarmerie,  391. 

Generals,  paradise  of,  448. 

Georgetown,  city  of,  370;  scene  at  the 
wharves,  371 ; variety  of  races,  371 ; 
how  laid  out,  372 ; Dutch  archi- 
tecture, 372  ; stores  and  private 
dwellings,  372  ; tramways,  372,  373  ; 
churches  and  clubs,  373  ; public 
buildings,  376  ; the  Public  Building, 
par  excellence,  376;  Roman  Catholic 
Cathedral,  376,  377 ; British  Guiana 
Museum,  377  ; Royal  Agricultural 
and  Commercial  Society,  377 ; jour- 
nals and  magazines,  377 ; Philhar- 
monic Hall,  377  ; Government  House, 
378  ; Promenade  Gardens,  378  ; 
drives  and  promenades,  378  ; Botan- 
ical Gardens,  378,  379  ; climate,  379  ; 
Georgetown  settlement,  379 ; con- 
victs, 380. 

Goitre,  prevalence  of,  441. 

Gold-mining  in  British  Guiana,  382. 


Gold- washing,  384. 

Government  work,  406. 

Goya,  town  of,  162. 

Gran  Chaco,  district  of  the  Argentine 
Republic,  162. 

Guaduas,  town  of,  437,  438. 

Guano,  72. 

Guayaquil,  Gulf  of,  11,  12;  city  of, 
13. 

Guayas,  the  river,  15. 

Gulf  of  Paria,  393. 

Hamacas,  mention  of,  by  Columbus, 
351. 

Hammocks  on  board  ship,  350,  351'; 
Brazilian  mode  of  using,  852  ; mari- 
tal, 355. 

Hastings,  an  English  garrison-post,  368. 

Hippolvte,  a guide,  271. 

Honda,  town  of,  430  ; streets  and 
houses,  436. 

Horsemen,  Colombian,  437. 

Horse-races  at  Lima,  51. 

Hospital,  the  2d  of  May,  58,  59. 

Hotel  bedrooms  in  Brazil,  291. 

Huacho,  town  of,  49. 

Humboldt,  Alexander  von,  his  associa- 
tion with  Bonpland,  204,  205 ; his 
sun-dial,  412. 

Iguassu,  Falls  of  the,  193. 

“Illustrious  American  Regenerator,” 
404. 

Imataca  Mountains,  401. 

Immigration  to  the  Argentine  Repub- 
lic, 162. 

Imported  ice,  387. 

Indian  carnival,  99. 

Indians,  aboriginal,  433. 

Inferno  and  Arcadia,  alternate,  329. 

Iglesias,  General,  51. 

Inn,  a wayside,  273. 

Inns,  poor  specimens,  438. 

Insect  pests,  19,  188,  189,  191,  192, 
451,  453. 

Iquique,  port  of,  102,  103. 


INDEX. 


469 


Iron  knockers,  3 17. 

Itacolumi,  peak,  293. 

Itaparica,  cataracts  of,  332. 

Jagnara,  relics  of  an  immense  farm, 
288,  289,  290. 

Jamaica  negroes,  3,  6,  461. 

Jatoba,  village  of,  330;  how  people 
live  there,  331. 

Javari,  the  monitor,  257,  258. 

Juan  Fernandez,  106. 

King  of  Rapids,  328,  329,  330. 

Koninklijke,  West-Indische  Mail-dienst, 
details  about  the,  383. 

La  Brea,  position  of,  397 ; Pitch  Lake 
at,  398,  399. 

Lafayette,  village  of,  270. 

Lafone,  Mr.,  his  negotiations,  139. 

La  Guayra,  town  of,  405  ; appearance 
from  the  ocean,  407 ; without  in- 
terest, 407  ; seaport  of  Caracas, 
407. 

Lake  Titicaca,  82. 

La  Paz,  city  of,  86,  87,  88  ; altitude  of, 
89 ; streets  and  houses,  90  ; Alame- 
da, 91 ; market,  92  ; flower-women, 
93  ; theatre,  94,  95  ; newspapers, 
95,  96 ; bank,  96 ; imports,  exports, 
and  mines,  96,  97. 

La  Plata,  city  of,  157,  158. 

Las  Tablas,  town  of,  402. 

Lava-like  coast  range,  48. 

Lawlessness  of  Jatoba  and  Piranhas, 
333. 

Liebig  factory,  207,  208,  209,  210. 

Life  on  a Paraguayan  ranch,  198. 

Lima,  city  of,  50,  51,  53;  cathedral, 
54  ; houses,  55,  65, 66  ; public  build- 
ings, 55,  56  ; market,  56,  57 ; Na- 
tional Library,  57  ; public  prome- 
nade, 62  ; Panteon,  62,  63  ; gardens, 
65  ; education,  67  ; climate,  69  ; di- 
versions, 71. 

Llanos,  402. 


Local  travel,  356. 

Lopez,  palace  of,  1 64. 

Lota,  117. 

Macareo  River,  the,  401. 

Mackenna,  Benjamin  Vicuna,  109. 

Macusi  Indians,  character  of  the, 
382. 

Macuto,  village  of,  406. 

Magangue,  annual  mercantile  fair  at, 
432. 

Magdalena  River,  the,  425,  426,  427, 
430,  431,  436. 

Maiquetia,  village  of,  406. 

Manaos,  location  of,  360  ; most  con- 
spicuous object  of,  360  ; general 
features  of,  361 ; water-works,  361, 
362  ; Botanical  Museum  of  Amazo- 
nas, 362  ; library,  362. 

Maracaybo,  city  and  lake  of,  424. 

Margarita,  Island  of,  405. 

Marianna,  town  of,  297. 

Mate-sipping,  202,  203. 

Meals  in  a hurry,  429. 

Melancholy  nomenclature,  127. 

Messier  Channel,  119,  120. 

Mestizoes,  19,  20. 

Mills  at  Morro  Velho,  283. 

Minas-Geraes,  province  of,  267. 

Mine  of  Morro  Velho,  278,  279,  280, 
281,  284. 

Missiones,  province  of,  180. 

Mollendo,  a terminus,  73. 

Mompos,  village  of,  430. 

Monte  Caseros,  town  of,  205. 

Monte  Cristo,  Countess  of,  118. 

Montevideo,  city  of,  144,  145 ; cathe- 
dral, 146  ; Plaza,  146,  147  ; Prado, 
147 ; opera,  148. 

Morro  Velho,  village  of,  276  ; the  mine 
of,  278,  279,  280,  281,  284. 

Mountains  and  volcanoes,  40,  83,  84, 
120,  121  ; Organ,  248,  251. 

Mountain  travel,  14,  74,  75,  98. 

Mules,  17,  22,  23,  292,  454. 

Muleteers  and  cart-drivers,  272. 


470 


INDEX. 


Native  hospitality,  18. 

Navy,  the  Brazilian,  256,  257,  258. 

Negroes,  proportion  of,  in  Brazil,  297  ; 
and  creoles,  382. 

Niagara  of  South  America,  the,  192. 

Nictheroy,  town  of,  303. 

Norte  and  Pampero,  151. 

Nova  Friburgo,  302. 

Obidos,  port  of,  358. 

Ocana,  city  of,  location,  433. 

Ocular  flirtation,  148. 

Olinda,  a dead-and-alive  place,  340.’ 

Orientation,  410. 

Orinoco  River,  the,  how  it  differs  from 
the  Amazon,  401. 

Orinoco  Steamship  Line,  400. 

Oroya  Railway,  59. 

Oruba,  Island  of,  423. 

Ostrich-feathers,  130,  131,  142. 

Ouro  Preto,  town  of,  293,  294,  295,  296. 

Overland  routes,  113. 

Pacasmayo,  ruins  near,  47. 

Palmeiras,  health  resort,  259. 

Palms,  avenue  of  Royal,  232. 

Pampas,  158. 

Panama  Canal,  4,  5,  6,  7 ; small  prog- 
ress, 460 ; French  settlements,  460, 
461  ; deaths  caused  by  yellow  fever, 
461  ; greatest  financial  disaster  of 
the  century,  461 ; was  it  worth  build- 
ing? 461,  462;  would  one  billion 
dollars  have  produced  satisfactory 
results?  462;  probable  course  of 
traffic,  462. 

Panama,  city  of,  7 , 8 ; Isthmus,  8. 

Pao  d’Assucar,  322. 

Para,  city  of,  location  and  character, 
343  ; tramways  and  hackney-coaches, 
344 ; market,  344,  345 ; Botanical 
Gardens,  345  ; private  dwellings, 

345  ; streets,  345,  346 ; business, 

346  ; climate,  346 ; opera-house,  346, 
347. 

Paraguari,  village  of,  173. 


Paraguassu  River,  along  the  line  of 
the,  313. 

Paraguayan  natives,  184,  185. 

Paramaribo,  city  of,  384  ; canals,  385  ; 
churches  and  cemeteries,  385  ; police 
and  fire-engines,  385,  386;  dress 
and  appearance  of  the  women,  386 ; 
intense  heat,  387  ; Government  build- 
ings, 387 ; public  garden,  387 ; Co- 
lonial Council,  387 ; newspapers  and 
circulating  libraries,  388. 

Parana,  port  of,  162. 

Parana  River,  banks  of  the  upper,  177. 

Pass,  the  Raiz  do  Serra,  249. 

Passport  nuisance,  the,  315. 

Patagonia,  140,  141 ; future  of,  142. 

Paulo  Affonso,  cataracts  of,  328,  329. 

Paysandu,  town  of,  206. 

Payta,  town  of,  45,  46. 

Pedra  do  Sino,  or  bell-stone,  324,  325. 

Penal  colonies,  11,  129,  342,  379,  380, 
388,  392. 

Penedo,  town  of,  317;  streets,  317; 
newspapers,  318  ; currency,  318  ; re- 
ligious procession,  319,  320;  theatre, 
320. 

Pernambuco,  city  of,  335,  336 ; busi- 
ness, 336 ; President’s  house,  337 ; 
School  of  Fine  Arts,  337;  hospital, 
337;  House  of  Deputies,  337,  338; 
cemetery,  338 ; market,  338  ; Com- 
mercial Association  Building,  338 ; 
private  residences,  339  ; reservoir 
and  water-works,  339. 

Personal  baggage,  4. 

Peru  and  Chili,  war  between,  60. 

Peruvian  independence,  anniversary  of, 
50;  currency.  60,  61. 

Pescaderias,  opposite  Arranca  Plumas, 
437. 

Petropolis,  town  of,  248,  250,  251; 
imperial  palace  at,  254. 

Piabanha  River,  the,  along  the,  268. 

Piassabossu,  village  of,  316. 

Pichincha,  volcano  of,  38,  39,  40,  41. 

Piedade,  village  of,  251. 


INDEX. 


471 


Piranhas,  town  of,  323 ; poverty  of  the 
people,  324. 

Pirogues,  359. 

Pitch  Lake  of  La  Brea,  397,  398,  399. 

Pizarro,  remains  of,  54. 

Place  des  Palmistes,  391. 

Policemen  in  Santiago  and  New  York, 

112. 

Poncho,  the,  20. 

Ponte  Nova,  town  of,  298. 

Population,  between  Barranquilla  and 
Yeguas,  432,  433. 

Port-of-Spain,  city  of,  394,  395  : streets 
and  houses  of,  396 ; Government 
buildings,  396;  Queen’s  Park,  396, 
397 ; Botanical  Garden  and  Queen’s 
College,  397  ; Pitch  Lake,  397. 

Posadas,  town  of,  179. 

Postponement,  a single  passenger  oc- 
casions, 334. 

Prairie  fires,  402. 

Princess  Isabella,  256. 

Proposed  tour,  267. 

Propria,  town  of,  321. 

Puerto  Berrio,  river-port,  434. 

Puerto  Cabello,  town  of,  422. 

Punta  Arenas,  or  Sandy  Point,  town  of, 
129,  130. 

Pyjamas,  387. 

Queluz,  town  of,  270,  271. 

Quito,  city  of,  24,  25 ; cathedral,  26 ; 
troops,  27  ; cemetery,  29  ; penitenti- 
ary, 30;  Capitol,  31;  President,  31, 
32  ; bells  and  bugles,  33  ; religious 
paintings,  33  ; European  ministers, 
34 ; banks  and  currency,  35  ; native 
doctors,  36 ; outskirts,  37  ; education, 
38. 

Racial  varieties,  19,  20. 

Railway,  to  Panama,  4;  only  one  in 
Ecuador,  16;  between  Arequipa  and 
Puno,  78,  79,  80 ; between  Valparaiso 
and  Buenos  Ayres,  114;  longest 
straight  reach  of,  in  the  world,  158; 


Fell  system  of,  302  ; expensive 
one,  408. 

Recruiting,  unique  method  of,  150. 

Relics  of  Robinson  Crusoe,  106. 

Religious  parades,  12,  69,  70,  309,  310, 
319,  320. 

Requiem,  grand,  for  Ferdinand  II.  of 
Portugal,  234,  235. 

Resume  of  travel,  462,  463. 

Revolutions,  447. 

Riachuelo,  steam-frigate,  the,  256, 
257. 

Rich  mines  of  Venezuela,  402. 

Rio  das  Velhas,  down  the,  285  ; primi- 
tive life  on  the  banks  of  the,  288. 

Rio  de  Janeiro,  harbor  of,  213 ; city, 
213-216  ; idleness  and  curiosity  of 
the  natives,  221,  222,  223;  effect  of 
the  climate  on  whites,  224 ; summer 
residences  of  the  wealthy,  224 ; yel- 
low fever,  224,  225 ; currency,  225, 
226 ; market,  226,  227 ; carnival, 
227,  228,  229,  230 ; Botanical  Gar- 
dens, 231,  232,  233 ; Acclimation 
Square,  233 ; Cascade  Grotto,  233 ; 
Misericordia  Hospital,  235,  236,  237 ; 
Academy  of  Fine  Arts,  237  ; theatre, 
237,  238  ; National  Library,  242  ; 
National  Museum,  242,  243  ; Astro- 
nomical Observatory,  244,  245  ; His- 
torical, Geographical,  and  Ethno- 
graphical Institute  of  Brazil,  245. 

Rio  de  la  Plata,  the,  143,  152. 

Rio  Negro,  the,  360. 

Rio  Vermelho,  the,  308,  309. 

River  huts,  two  kinds  of,  359. 

River  people,  more  than  semi-civiiized, 
433. 

River  villages,  of  one  pattern,  434. 

Road  to  Quito,  21 ; between  Honda 
and  Facatativa,  454. 

Rocking-stones,  159,  160. 

Rodrigues,  Dr.  J.  Barboza,  362. 

Rosario,  city  of,  160. 

Route,  the  Uspallata,  113,  114;  choice 
of,  122. 


472 


INDEX. 


Royal  Dutch  West-India  Mail,  particu- 
lars of  the,  383. 

Rusby,  Dr.  H.  H.,  101. 

Sahara,  town  of,  286. 

Saint  Augustine,  Cape,  342. 

Saint  Roque,  Cape,  342. 

Salgar,  village  of,  426. 

San  Cristoval,  palace  of,  252. 

San  Fernando,  town  of,  394,  397. 

San  Geraldo,  town  of,  300. 

San  Lorenzo,  hamlet  of,  183. 

San  Luiz,  a very  ordinary-looking  town, 
342. 

San  Martin,  General,  monument  to 
the  memory  of,  154. 

San  Paulo,  city  of,  259,  260. 

San  Salvador,  now  called  Watling  Isl- 
and, 1. 

San  Sebastian,  village  of,  297. 

Santa  Luzia,  town  of,  286,  291. 

Santa  Marta,  town  of,  424. 

Santarem,  town  of,  358. 

Santiago,  city  of,  109;  Capitol,  110; 
graceful  monument,  .110;  Botanical 
and  Zoological  Gardens,  111  ; Ala- 
meda, 111,  112;  theatre,  112,  113. 
San  Tome,  village  of,  201. 

Santos,  seaport,  265,  266. 

Sarmiento,  Mount,  128. 

Scenery  between  Para  and  Braganga, 
347,  348,  349  ; at  the  mouth  of  the 
Xingu,  353,  354. 

Sedan-chairs,  444. 

Semaphores,  392. 

Senoritas,  13,  26,  65,  67,  68,  148,  149, 
416. 

Serpent’s  Mouth,  393. 

Serra  da  Boa  Yista,  302. 

Serra  do  Mar,  266. 

Sierra  Nevada,  424,  425. 

Silver  statuette,  81. 

Siphonia  elastica,  361. 

Smoking  in  Paraguay,  169. 

Snobbery,  amusing  instance  of,  135. 
Soacha,  village  of,  451. 


Soledad,  village  of,  402. 

South  American  revolutions,  3,  4. 
Springs  of  petroleum,  394. 

Stamps,  idiotic  way  of  selling,  455. 
Stanley,  harbor  of,  134;  city  of,  134, 
135. 

Steep  stone  staircases,  454. 

Sugar-Loaf  Peak,  231. 

Surinam,  coast  at,  383. 

Switzerland  of  Brazil,  251. 

Tacatoe,  village  of,  431. 

Teneriffe,  town  of,  431. 

Tequendama  Falls,  the,  450  ; location, 
450 ; how  to  reach  them,  451 ; de- 
scent of  six  hundred  feet,  453. 
Theresopolis,  town  of,  251. 

Thorndike,  Mr.  J.  M.,  76,  77. 
Through-express  routes,  absence  of,  in 
South  America,  195,  200. 
Thunder-shower,  a terrific,  273. 

Tierra  del  Fuego,  127,  129,  131,  132. 
Tijuca,  peak  of,  246,  247. 

Time  and  distance,  how  estimated  by 
Brazilians,  296. 

Tclima,  great  cone  of,  439. 

Tortuga,  Island  of,  405. 

Traipu,  town  of,  322. 

Travel,  in  the  Rio  Plate  countries,  178  ; 

concluding  summary  of,  462,  463. 
Trinidad,  Island  of,  394. 

Tupi  Indians,  187,  188. 

Tussock-grass,  138. 

Uruguay  River,  the,  201,  202. 
Uruguayana,  town  of,  205. 

Uruguayan  soldiers,  150. 

Vai-vem,  what  it  is,  328. 

Valencia,  city  of,  422. 

Valparaiso,  city  of,  104;  cosmopolitan 
aspect  of,  105 ; sunset  view  of, 
116. 

Vampire  Grotto,  330. 

Vaqueiro,  a,  and  his  family,  327. 
Venezuela,  the  Coney  Island  of,  406 ; 


INDEX. 


473 


one  of  the  richest  countries  in  South 
America,  421. 

Venezuelan  veneration  for  Simon  Boli- 
var, 415. 

Vessels  between  Port-of-Spain  and  Bol- 
ivar, 400. 

Victoria  Regia,  378,  379. 

Villeta,  town  of,  438. 

Vingt-et-un,  404. 

Vino  del  Mar,  107. 

Volcano  of  Pichincha,  38,  39,  40,  41. 

Voyage,  an  expensive,  9. 

Washington,  George,  statue  of,  in  Ca- 
racas, 417. 


Wellington  Island,  119. 

Whyte’s  Hotel,  245,  246. 

Willemstad,  422,  423. 

Xingu  River,  the  mouths  of,  353, 
356. 

Yahgans  and  Onas,  savages,  132. 
Yeguas,  village  of,  435. 

Yellow  fever,  3,  224,  225. 

Yerba-mate,  202,  203. 

Zigzag,  what  it  is,  409. 


C 


THE  END. 


FRANK  VINCENT’S  WORKS, 


NORSK,  LAPP,  AND  FINN.  Route  Map  and  Frontispiece. 
Fourth  edition.  12mo,  cloth $1.50. 

THROUGH  AND  THROUGH  THE  TROPICS.  Front- 
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IN  AND  OUT  OF  CENTRAL  AMERICA.  Portrait  and 
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Harper’s  Weekly. 

“As  personal  narratives  of  travel,  Mr.  Vincent’s  books  have  exceeding  merit.” 
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“We  know  of  no  writer  of  travels  who  commands  a happier  style  of  narrative 
and  description  than  Mr.  Vincent.” — Literary  World , Boston. 

“ The  power  to  combine  flight  and  sight,  to  see  all  and  yet  enjoy  the  whole, 
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“Mr.  Vincent  is  acknowledged  to  be  one  of  the  most  brilliant  and  judicious 
of  literary  travelers.  He  is  one  of  the  few  American  authors  held  in  high  esteem 
by  English  critics.” — Chicago  Tribune. 

“ The  author  possesses  the  qualities  indispensable  to  successful  exploration — 
energy,  endurance  of  heat  and  cold,  fatigue  and  petty  annoyances,  good  humor, 
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“We  do  not  recall  a recent  traveler  who  has  put  so  much  into  his  pages,  or 
who  has,  with  an  occasional  touch  of  quaintness,  made  so  readable  an  account 
of  his  rather  exceptional  experiences.” — Christian  Union , New  York. 

“The  story  of  travels  is  well  told,  the  descriptions  of  adventures  are  full  of 
interest,  and  the  sketches  of  life  and  character  and  manners  are  drawn  and  colored 
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to  his  conversation,  though  he  never  strayed  beyond  the  fortifications  of  his  own 
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traveled  during  a total  period  of  eleven  years  two  hundred  and  sixty-five  thousand 
miles.  His  personal  knowledge  of  man  and  Nature  is  probably  as  varied  and 
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